O’Mara imperious as Crookedwood prevail

Crookedwood 1-15, Ringtown 1-12

Paul Hughes

Crookedwood boosted their SHC ‘B’ campaign and ended Ringtown’s unbeaten run in TEG Cusack Park on Saturday afternoon, with the ever-reliable Barry O’Mara called upon for all but three of their scores.

It was one of those fixtures that could have gone either way, and O’Mara is the very man you want in your corner when looking to eke out a difficult win.

The ‘Wood legend shot 1-12, including a superb second-half goal, to ensure that the Derravaraghsiders join St Oliver Plunkett’s at the top of the championship’s league phase.

Ringtown, who were without the injured Emmet Corrigan, had Mark Cunningham (0-7) to rely on, as well as a first-half goal from Luke Moore and a couple of scores off the bench.

Ultimately however, the ‘Wood made more use of the opportunities presented to them, with Ringtown racking up 12 wides over the course of the hour.

After ten minutes of fairly pedestrian hurling, the sides were locked at 0-2 apiece thanks to a brace of frees from O’Mara (Crookedwood) and Cunningham (Ringtown). Then, on 12 minutes, a long-range free from Cunningham was parried by ‘Wood netminder Alan O’Mara, and Ringtown’s Luke Moore nudged the sliothar over the line.

By the 19th minute, Crookedwood had pared the deficit back to a point with two ‘65s’ from Barry O’Mara, but the Tricolours should have been ahead. On 14 minutes, a mix-up in the Ringtown defence led to John Ryan getting a shot on goal, drawing a spectacular save out of Ringtown’s Pat Burke. In one sequence on 18 minutes, Lorcan O’Mara and Brian McLoughlin might also have netted for the ‘Wood.

With 20 minutes gone, Ringtown led by two after a point from play by Mark Cunningham, but within four minutes the ‘Wood were level after Barry O’Mara converted two more frees.

The Whitehall men led by the minimum as half-time approached, with Cunningham knocking over two more routine dead ball efforts, answered by a similar score from O’Mara.

In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Ringtown finished the half with a flourish to lead by two (1-6 to 0-7). The ‘Wood cleared a dangerous ‘65’ from Cunningham, before the sliothar was eventually worked out to Johnny Hardman, who divided the posts with a fine score.

Five minutes into the second half, Crookedwood turned the tables, and again Barry O’Mara came up with the goods. He formed an increasingly effective double act with Brian McLoughlin, who teed him up on 33 minutes for a difficult score from play – his and Crookedwood’s first.

As play was briefly interrupted by a downpour, the momentum shifted to Ringtown, who regained their lead thanks to points from Luke Moore and Cunningham (a free).

However, the game’s key moment arrived on 42 minutes, when Ian McGovern picked out O’Mara with a sublime pass, and with no marker in sight, the prolific forward drilled a fierce shot to the bottom corner of the Ringtown net.

Ringtown were always chasing it from this point on, and might have conceded a second goal moments later but for a timely intervention from Charles Flynn.

O’Mara and McLoughlin combined again on 44 minutes for the latter to turn and point, and by the 52nd minute the ‘Wood were four points clear (1-13 to 1-9), with scores from O’Mara (a free) and McLoughlin cancelling out a point from play by Ringtown’s Ryan McAuley. McLoughlin’s score came after an outrageous volleyed effort from a long ball.

However, Ringtown weren’t finished, and reduced the arrears to a single point with three points on the trot. Two of them came from subs: Jeffrey Nea split the posts with a superb effort from the right corner, before Jason Moran found his range.

On 56 minutes, Mark Cunningham struck his second point from play to make the ‘Wood sweat. However, Ringtown scotched some late chances, posting a couple of wides and missing out on a potential second goal for Luke Moore, who was tackled at the crucial moment by Crookedwood’s Feichin Óg Brennan.

At the other end, the ‘Wood took their chances. Deep into stoppage time, Barry O’Mara tacked on a free, and with the last move of the game, John Ryan broke clear. Although hooked en route to goal, Ryan composed himself and fed Noel Yourell, who popped the sliothar over the bar.

Coming off the back of their recent win over Delvin, the result is another shot in the arm for a resurgent Crookedwood, and though it’s a setback for Ringtown, both clubs still have a strong say in the destiny of the Mickey Power Cup.

Scorers - Crookedwood: B O’Mara 1-12 (0-9f, 0-2 ‘65s’), B McLoughlin 0-2, N Yourell 0-1. Ringtown: M Cunningham 0-7 (5f), L Moore 1-1, J Hardman, R McAuley, J Nea and J Moran 0-1 each.

Crookedwood: Alan O’Mara; Keelan Varley, Gerard Brennan, Seamus Savage; Adam Bate, Jonathan Nally, Adam Bate; Matthew Ryan, Ian McGovern; Simon McCarthy, Lorcan O’Mara, Edward Nally; Barry O’Mara, Brian McLoughlin, John Ryan. Subs used: Oisín Boyle for McCarthy (h-t), Ronan Scally for L O’Mara (47), Conor Savage for McGovern (59), Noel Yourell for Ryan (59).

Ringtown: Pat Burke; Seán Cunningham, Ryan Moore, Niall Moran; Charles Flynn, Darren Kilcoyne, Dominic Flynn; Ciaran Moran, Conor O’Grady; Paul Nangle, Mark Cunningham, Ryan McAuley; Seán Boylan, Luke Moore, Johnny Hardman. Subs used: Jason Moran for Boylan (37), Jeffrey Nea for O’Grady (39), Thomas Daniels for Flynn (47).

Ref: Alfie Devine (Castlepollard).

Examiner's Eye on game

Man of the match

Barry O’Mara (Crookedwood).

Not for the first time, O’Mara left the field with his tally in double figures. Forming an effective double act with Brian McLoughlin, O’Mara was his usual deadly self from dead balls, and fired a crucial goal.

The key moment

O’Mara’s 42nd minute goal, a fierce drive from a considerable distance, turned the tables in such a way that Ringtown were always chasing the game thereafter.