Ringtown goals crucial as wasteful Cullion defeated

Ringtown 2-16, Cullion 0-14

Two second-half goals proved decisive as Ringtown overcame Cullion in the third round of the Westmeath Senior 'B' Hurling Championship at The Downs on Saturday evening. The game was played in fine conditions on a bright, cool evening.

Ringtown led by a single point at the break and, with eight different players raising flags over the hour, had far more scoring options than their opponents. Cullion relied heavily on Jack Gillen and Kevin Regan, and though both worked tirelessly, their side’s inability to take scores at crucial times proved fatal. They will be disappointed with a tally of more than a dozen wides and several missed goal chances as their search for a first win of the campaign continues.

The game began brightly. Inside the first minute Ryan McCauley scored from play for Ringtown, only for Gillen to equalise from a quickly taken free. A ‘65 won by Johnny Hardman was calmly slotted over by Emmet Corrigan, but Kevin Regan cancelled it out with a nice strike from play after five minutes.

Gillen then added two quick scores, the second a superb effort where he gathered possession near the sideline with his back to goal before striking the ball sending the ball directly between the posts on the turn. It lifted Cullion for a period, and midway through the half Kevin Regan pointed to edge them in front for the first time.

Ringtown replied through Corrigan, but Gillen’s sharp shooting continued. He landed a long-range effort and a free from out wide, before Conor Regan finished a slick move involving Jamie Kindregan and Kevin Regan to put Cullion three clear. At that stage, Cullion looked to be in command, moving the ball well and creating chances.

Ringtown refused to let them push on, however, and Mark Cunningham and Corrigan struck back from play for Ringtown. Though Kevin Regan hit another fine score from the restart, Paul Nangle lifted Ringtown with a long-range point from the halfway line. Corrigan and Luke Moore added further scores late in the half, swinging the momentum back in Ringtown’s favour, who went in 0-11 to 0-10 up at the break.

Cullion came out strongly in the second half but failed to take advantage. Kevin Regan fired a wide from a promising position, and although Shane Broughan levelled with a tidy point, Ringtown soon had their first goal. Cunningham delivered a high ball into the square and Hardman batted the sliotar into the net to open a gap.

Gillen pulled one back, but wides began to creep into Cullion’s play. Jason Moran struck a nice point for Ringtown, Corrigan converted another free, and Cunningham added another from distance, all in quick succession. Regan responded again for Cullion, yet Cunningham immediately replied after Hardman caught the ball high and cleanly in the air and worked the ball into space.

Cullion had a big chance in the 48th minute when Gillen stood over a free just outside the 21. He drove it towards the net, but Ringtown had five bodies on the line and goalkeeper Darragh Moran managed to keep it out. It was a crucial moment. Had it gone in, the deficit would have been cut to a single score but instead, momentum went the other way.

Minutes later, at the opposite end, Darren Kilcoyne received the ball close to goal and struck low. His effort deflected off the hurl of Cullion 'keeper Conor Kelly and ended up in the net. The goal restored Ringtown’s control and extended their lead to eight points with ten minutes to play. It also proved the final score of the match.

Cullion showed a lot of frustration in the closing stages of the match. They fired three wides in succession, Calum Faughnan had a decent shot saved by Moran, and substitute Stephen Bourke’s rebound also went wide. Conor Regan was then denied by Moran, Gillen hit the side netting from a tight angle, and even when James Kelly was fouled late on to give Cullion one last free, Gillen’s attempt was deflected out for a ’65. The final whistle soon followed.

Ringtown will be delighted with the win, not just for the result but for the spread of scorers that contributed to their 2-16 haul. McCauley, Cunningham, Nangle, Moore, Jason Moran and the two goal scorers Hardman and Kilcoyne all made important contributions alongside Corrigan’s accuracy from placed balls. For Cullion, by contrast, Gillen and Kevin Regan carried most the scoring burden, and the decision to consistently chase goals rather than keep the scoreboard ticking over ultimately proved costly.

Scorers - Ringtown: Ryan McCauley 0-2, Emmet Corrigan 0-8 (0-5 frees), Mark Cunningham 0-2, Paul Nangle 0-1, Luke Moore 0-1, Johnny Hardman 1-0, Jason Moran 0-1, Darren Kilcoyne 1-0.

Cullion: Jack Gillen 0-7 (0-3 frees), Kevin Regan 0-4, Conor Regan 0-1, Shane Broughan 0-2.

Ringtown: Darragh Moran, Desmond Smyth, Niall Moran, Ryan Moore, Paul Nangle, Ciaran Moran, Charles Flynn, James Boylan, Luke Moore, Ryan McCauley, Darren Kilcoyne, Mark Cunningham, Emmet Corrigan, Johnny Hardman, Jason Moran. Subs: Owen Harper, Kevin Nea.

Cullion: Conor Kelly, Brian O’Reilly, James Clarke, Pierce Shaw, Andrew Connaughton, Conor Shaw, Conor Gilhooly, Sean Regan, Jamie Kindregan, Callum Faughnan, Conor Regan, Kevin Regan, James Kelly, Jack Gillen, Shane Broughan. Subs: Stephen Bourke, Tadgh Desmond.

Referee: Jimmy Greville (Castlepollard).