Strong second half secures crucial win for the champions

St Loman's, Mullingar 1-17, Coralstown/Kinnegad 0-11

By Gerry Buckley

Flanagan Cup holders St Loman’s, Mullingar put an untypically cagey half performance behind them with a fine display on the change of ends to eventually defeat league champions Coralstown/Kinnegad with a bit to spare in the main event at TEG Cusack Park last Sunday evening.

Despite being short some high-profile players, Paddy Dowdall showed that he has strength-in-depth as he continues to groom the latest in a long line of promising footballers emerging from the Delvin Rd. They couldn’t have a better ‘master’ than John Heslin who pulled the strings throughout, and it would be a foolish punter who would write off the champions this year despite The Downs’ favouritism. For his part, Jack Cooney is now entering must-win territory in the Westmeath senior football championship after two straight defeats to date for Coralstown/Kinnegad in what is a competitive group.

The red and white-clad side had the aid of a useful breeze blowing towards the scoreboard end of Westmeath GAA headquarters and they started in impressive fashion, registering two neat points in the opening 80 seconds via Ger Leech (after 18 seconds) and his brother Dan (just a minute later). In the sixth minute, Darren Giles was blocked with a goal as his target, as they continued to look the livelier team.

Jack Geoghegan soon halved the deficit at the end of a patient move, but the losers extended their advantage with a fine two-pointer from a free by Ger Leech and a well-worked one-pointer finished by Giles.

A converted free by John Heslin preceded a wasted goal opportunity at the other end, Giles’ disappointing pass failing to reach Eoghan Bracken who was hovering with intent. Coralstown/Kinnegad still led by 0-5 to 0-2 at the end of the opening quarter.

A classy brace of one-pointers from Shane Dempsey contrasted with two missed point chances for the losers, albeit the shots from both Ger Leech and Liam Daly veered off-target via the upright. The strength of the breeze could be gauged by a Heslin ‘45’ dropping short in the 20th minute. Three minutes later, Ger Leech pointed in style – it was very close to being an orange flag – and his brother Dan again followed suit with a delightful score with a minute of normal time remaining in the first moiety. Heslin played ‘keep-ball’ for close to half-a-minute during added-time. At the break, the scoreboard read: Coralstown/Kinnegad 0-7 St Loman’s, Mullingar 0-4.

The wind appeared to have died a little ahead of the second half. Brían Cooney teed up Liam Daly from the throw-in, but his shot missed the target with a three-pointer in his sights. Dan Leech was short from a ‘45’ at the same end before the respective number 11s, the hard-working Kevin Regan and Cooney, traded great points from open play. A fabulous left-footed two-pointer from Heslin reduced the gap to the bare minimum (0-8 to 0-7). Dempsey pounced on the resultant kick-out, but untypically failed to convert a decent point chance.

Bracken was denied a goal for Coralstown/Kinnegad, and they had to be content with a point from Connor Callaghan. Heslin levelled the contest with a two-pointer taken just on the 40-metre arc in the 39th minute. Ger Leech (a routine free) and Geoghegan (Stephen McNevin’s fingertips preventing an orange flag) exchanged points, but a terrific two-pointer from Dempsey put St Loman’s ahead by 0-12 to 0-10 at the end of the third quarter, and now firmly established as favourites for the two championship points on offer.

An eye-catching run from defence by Heslin belied his veteran status as the holders began to take control.

The same player was wide from a ‘45’, but a quickfire brace from Regan and the promising Cillian Plunkett stretched the winners’ lead to four points (0-14 to 0-10) with 53 minutes on the clock.

Any lingering doubts about the outcome were dispelled with five minutes of normal time remaining when a great move instigated by Heslin, ended with influential sub Fionn O’Hara teeing up Regan who blasted the ball to the net from close range.

Coralstown/Kinnegad sub Shane Fleming was soon superbly thwarted by former Westmeath ‘keeper Jason Daly. Dempsey did very well to dissect the posts after almost losing possession. Callum Cruise pointed neatly for the losers, but the men in blue and white finished in style when Heslin completed his hat-trick of two-pointers from play, albeit seeming to be in some discomfort as he shot.

Scorers – St Loman’s, Mullingar: J Heslin 0-7 (1f, 3 2pt), K Regan 1-2, S Dempsey 0-5 (1 2pt), J Geoghegan 0-2, C Plunkett 0-1.

Coralstown/Kinnegad: G Leech 0-5 (1 2ptf, 1f), D Leech 0-2, Darren Giles, B Cooney, C Callaghan, C Cruise 0-1 each.

St Loman’s, Mullingar: Jason Daly; Nathan Lally, Darragh O’Keeffe, Seanaí Bracken; Jack Geoghegan, Eoghan Hogan, Oisín Hogan; Sean Flanagan, Cillian Plunkett; Eoghan O’Keeffe, Kevin Regan, Kelvin Reilly; Conor Regan, John Heslin, Shane Dempsey. Subs used: David Whelan for Lally (39), Conan O’Hara for Dempsey (43), Fionn O’Hara for C Regan (49), Nellie Duffy for Reilly (59).

Coralstown/Kinnegad: Stephen McNevin; Podge Quinn, Danny Woods, Eoghan Bracken; Ciaran Daly Snr, David Giles, Liam Daly; Ciaran Daly Jnr, Darren Giles; Rory Cole, Brían Cooney, Eoin O’Brien; Dan Leech, Connor Callaghan, Ger Leech. Subs used: Callum Cruise for G Leech (39), Shane Fleming for C Daly Snr (50), Jason Macken for C Daly Jnr (55), Jack Cole for D Leech (59).

Ref: Niall Ward (Garrycastle).