Ringtown have ‘Moore’ class up front as Delvin denied in thriller

Ringtown 1-27, Delvin 4-14

Their ability to produce periods of dominance in either half proved crucial as Ringtown got the better of Delvin in a thrilling Westmeath Senior ‘B’ Hurling Championship encounter at Decotek Park, Collinstown on Saturday evening.

With 46 scores, this was a gripping contest in which the teams were level at the break (1-10 each) before Ringtown produced a storming start to the second half. Eleven unanswered points put the Whitehall side into a commanding lead at the end of the third quarter and gave them the platform for victory.

However, Declan Mullen’s men still had work to do as Delvin produced a great comeback. Noel Boyce’s charges rallied superbly, scoring three goals in the last 18 minutes (including four minutes additional time) and they will surely wonder why they failed to sparkle immediately after the half-time break, allowing such a huge gap develop.

In fairness, a lot of that was down to some terrific Ringtown play and in particular the performance of Luke Moore, who was unremarkable up front.

It was a tough, physical encounter at times and players took heavy hits, some not strictly within the rules, but it was that kind of intense clash and in truth it provided great entertainment overall.

The game began with a flurry of excitement, as Ringtown's Luke Moore and Delvin's Eoin Carolan each scored points within the first minute. Not long after, Ringtown's Johnny Hardman added another point to the tally, only for Delvin's centre back, Adam Ennis, to respond in kind. After just four minutes of play, the score stood at 0-3 to 0-2, with Moore adding another point for Ringtown. Moore then capitalised on a technical foul, converting a free, but Delvin's Dean Ennis kept his team within reach by scoring a free of his own.

As the game progressed, Josh Coll demonstrated his skill by levelling the game for Delvin with a fine point after 11 minutes. However, the stalemate was short-lived, as Moore quickly answered with a high-quality point for Ringtown. Moore's appeal for a penalty fell on deaf ears, even though he seemed to be held by Delvin's defender, Frank McGrath. Taking advantage of a puck-out from Pat Burke, Ryan McCauley assisted Conor O'Grady in securing Ringtown's sixth point. Moore continued to dominate by adding two more points, one from a free, and midfielder Mark Cunningham also contributed, pushing Ringtown to a five-point lead by the end of the first quarter.

Delvin, however, was not to be outdone. They fired back with four unanswered points, three of which came from Dean Ennis's accurate frees, and another from Darragh Clinton. The momentum seemed to shift when Cunningham scored a goal for Ringtown, making it 1-9 to 0-8 after 25 minutes. Cunningham's powerful, low shot left goalkeeper Stephen Reilly with little chance. Keeping the pressure on, Cunningham then set up Moore for yet another point for Ringtown.

However, Delvin finished the first half impressively. Clinton broke away to score a point, and Dean Ennis added another free. The tension peaked when Patrick Farrington netted a goal for Delvin after a clash in the square, which left Ringtown's corner back, Oisín Kelly, prostrate on the ground. As the teams headed into the halftime break, the scoreboard reflected the tight contest, with both sides locked at 1-10 apiece.

The first score of the second half came from Luke Moore after four minutes, setting the tone for a great spell for Ringtown. Emmet Corrigan added to the tally with a point, followed by a shot over the bar from wing forward Ryan McCauley. Corrigan pointed again, and Moore converted a free, keeping the momentum firmly with Ringtown. McCauley, under serious pressure, managed another point, showcasing his skill and determination.

Delvin, trying to stay in the game, introduced Stephen Cassidy and Ross Gaffney, which resulted in a few chances for the team. However, Moore remained relentless, pointing two more frees for Ringtown. Corrigan then scored a fine long-range point, and Charles Flynn set up Johnny Hardman for another, bringing the score to 1-20 to 1-10 after 45 minutes. Moore added yet another free to Ringtown's tally.

Delvin responded as substitute Ross Gaffney pointed, but Moore quickly replied with another point for Ringtown. Clinton kept Delvin in contention with a converted free after 49 minutes. In the 50th minute, Clinton scored a goal almost out of nowhere after the referee threw in the ball, penalising a Ringtown puck-out. Shortly after, Coll set up Dean Ennis for Delvin's third goal after 52 minutes, bringing the score to 1-22 to 3-12.

Ringtown secured a vital point when Darren Kilcoyne won possession and fired over, marking a key moment in the game. Patrick Farrington exchanged passes with Coll and aimed a shot towards the top corner, but Pat Burke's great save deflected the ball over the crossbar after 54 minutes, another crucial moment in the match.

Moore continued his impressive performance, converting a Ringtown free. Stephen Sullivan pointed after Paul Nangle delivered the ball to his attack. Clinton then scored an excellent point for Delvin in the 58th minute, leaving the score at 1-25 to 3-14. Moore converted another free for Ringtown and set up Cunningham for a neat point.

In the fourth minute of added time, Delvin got their fourth goal when a Dean Ennis free was lobbed into the danger area, and the ball broke for Coll, who shot to the net. Despite the dramatic finish, Ringtown were worthy winners, having dominated most of the match and responded effectively to Delvin's late surge.

Scorers - Ringtown: L Moore 0-15 (8f), M Cunningham 1-2, E Corrigan 0-3, J Hardman and R McCauley 0-2 each, C O’Grady, D Kilcoyne and S Sullivan 0-1 each.

Delvin: D Ennis 1-5 (0-5f), D Clinton 1-4 (0-1f), J Coll and P Farrington 1-1 each, A Cox, A Ennis and R Gaffney 0-1 each.

Delvin: Stephen Reilly; Patrick Clune, Frank McGrath, Oisín Kelly; Alan Cox, Adam Ennis, Fintan Cox; Patrick Farrington, Dean Ennis; Jack Forde, Ciaran Fenlon, Sebastian McPherson; Josh Coll, Darragh Clinton, Eoin Carolan. Subs: Sean Hoctor for McPherson (24), Conor Fenlon for Forde (inj., h-t), Stephen Cassidy for Carolan (40), Ross Gaffney for Ciaran Fenlon (42), Adam McCormack for McGrath (46).

Ringtown: Pat Burke; Ryan Moore, Ciaran Moran, Niall Moran; Emmet Corrigan, Paul Nangle, Charles Flynn; Mark Cunningham, Conor O’Grady; Ryan McCauley, Darren Kilcoyne, Kevin Daniels; Stephen Sullivan, Johnny Hardman, Luke Moore. Subs: Sean Cunningham for Daniels (29), Jason Moran for Sullivan (56).

Referee: Jimmy Greville (Castlepollard).