Black and Ambers off to perfect start

Slevin's Coaches Westmeath IHC: Castletown Geoghegan 3-13, Clonkill 2-13

By Paul Doolin

After victories for both their clubs senior sides it was a clash of the second strings in The Downs on Saturday evening last that saw Castletown Geoghegan come out with a three-point win in a game they really should have won by more.

The victors dominated most of the play, but a very dogged and proud Clonkill fought back time and again to keep within striking distance but could just not land the killer punch they needed. Even a late surge was not enough for the Loughegar men to gain parity and get something from the game.

It was Castletown Geoghegan's ability to score from play that was the biggest difference with Clonkill relying on the dead ball accuracy of Evan Scally and veteran Christy Austin from wing back who contributed 1-2, but their forwards struggled in the main against a very solid Castletown rearguard led brilliantly by Ryan Boyne and Eoin Kiernan in particular and that was the basis for this well-earned but merited win.

Clonkill got the opening score through a beauty from Ciaran Nooney, but super points from Sean Jackson, Sean Clarke and Andy Conway saw Castletown regain the initiative with three in-a-row. Eoin Kenny pulled one back for Clonkill before a high delivery into the defence saw the ball slip to Castletown Geoghegan's Adam Clarke who netted with aplomb for a very opportunist goal.

Evan Scally from play and a placed ball for Clonkill, and Sean Jackson with the same for Castletown, saw the Black and Ambers still lead by the 23rd minute. After that Andy Conway extended that lead with the point of the half as Castletown upped the ante. Two Scally frees kept Clonkill in touch but two superb scores from Sean Jackson and Conway saw Castletown lead by five at the break on a 1-8 to 0-6 scoreline and they were good value for that.

Sean Jackson added two more frees on the resumption, but Clonkill raised their challenge considerably with another Scally free, and two wonderful points from Christy Austin, and it seemed to lift the whole team. Eoin Kenny chipped in with two good scores and when Scally bookended the spell with another conversion, amazingly just a point separated the sides.

Sean Jackson steadied the Castletown Geoghegan ship with a point from a placed ball and then Plunkett Maxwell restored a gap with an excellently taken goal. Most teams would have rolled over at that stage, but not Clonkill as a hanging Austin delivery was drilled to the net by Alex Smyth. Moments later the same player was denied a second major by a marvellous save from Eoin Glennon in the Castletown Geoghegan goal.

Sean Jackson settled Castletown Geoghegan nerves again with a free and then Andy Conway got a flick to net a third Castletown goal, and we thought this surely was the killer blow. Not a bit of it as Scally pointed again from a free and Christy Austin scored a second Clonkill goal from his own half that evaded everyone in the Castletown Geoghegan defence.

Clonkill were pushing for parity now, but substitute Conor Murphy found Sean Jackson and Castletown’s ace marksman on the night pointed brilliantly, and despite a very late Clonkill rally, Castletown held on to win by three points and get their season off to the perfect start.

Scorers - Castletown Geoghegan: Sean Jackson 0-9 (5 frees), Andy Conway 1-3, Plunkett Maxwell and Adam Clarke 1-0 each, Sean Clarke 0-1.

Clonkill: Evan Scally 0-7 (5 frees; 1 65’), Christy Austin 1-2, Eoin Kenny 0-3, Alex Smyth 1-0, Ciaran Nooney 0-1.

Teams - Castletown Geoghegan: Eoin Glennon, Paul O’Sullivan, Ryan Boyne, Eoin Kiernan, Padraig Kane, Odhran Gavigan, Killian Jackson, Fergal O’Brien, Sean Clarke, Plunkett Maxwell, Mick Heeney, Shane Doran, Adam Clarke, Sean Jackson and Andy Conway. Subs: Conor Murphy for O’Brien (41 mins), Andy Dalton for Doran (56 mins).

Clonkill: Darragh Egerton, Scott Murtagh, Jack Murtagh, Enda Morrisson, Christy Austin, Jamie Coffey, Ciaran Nooney, Carl McCormack, Conor Daly, Senan O’Driscoll, Mark Keegan, Evan Scally, Eoin Kenny, Niall Dowdall and Alex Smyth. Sub: Conor Duncan for Dowdall (11 mins).

Referee: Rob Cornally (St Oliver Plunkett's).