Crookedwood rally in style to claim Division 3 title

Crookedwood 2-18, Turin 2-10

By Paul Hughes

Lifted by a 41st minute goal by Brian McLoughlin, Crookedwood recovered from a lean spell in this year’s Division 3 hurling final and went on to a comfortable victory against an understrength but game Turin side in sun-drenched TEG Cusack Park last Saturday afternoon.

With Turin missing the vital services of the likes of Sean Leech, Conor Heffernan and Khassim Carey, the first 25 minutes of this game read like a rout in the making, with Crookedwood dominant in all sectors. But the ‘Wood failed to put them away and a goal from Ray Aughey put Turin into a 1-5 to 0-7 lead at the break.

The Reds netted for a second time after the restart and Crookedwood looked in a spot of bother, but when McLoughlin’s goal arrived the Derravaraghsiders regained their composure and, in the final third of the game, outscored Turin 2-7 to 0-3.

Though the ‘Wood’s winning margin appeared very comfortable, it was made so by a very fortuitous last-minute goal from Barry O’Mara, and Turin, despite being without a number of key starters, performed much better than the final score suggests.

O’Mara, who finished the game with 1-10 – routine for him, as ever – opened the scoring after being teed up by Shane McGovern. O’Mara doubled the lead with a ‘65’ moments later, after a goal chance for Adam Bate was deflected wide – the first of a couple of excellent first-half saves from Turin netminder Eoin Aughey. Ray Aughey then broke Turin’s duck after five minutes with a free from the terrace side.

Brian McLoughlin briefly threatened Turin’s goal before O’Mara tacked on a free, and although Conor Leech kept the Reds in touch with a point, Crookedwood went on to score three in a row through O’Mara (two, including a ‘65’) and McGovern, who pointed on the turn after latching on to a long ball.

Ray Aughey and O’Mara exchanged frees and with half time approaching, the Tricolours led 0-7 to 0-3, although given the amount of possession they had one felt they should have been further ahead. Turin sensed a vulnerability and took the game by the scruff of the neck.

On 25 minutes, the game’s first goal arrived when Alan Aughey beat ‘Wood ‘keeper Alan O’Mara and, at full stretch, struggled to get the ball over the line. Crookedwood cleared their lines but only superficially, and the sliotar fell to Ray Aughey, who smashed home from 10 yards.

Four minutes later, Aughey showed great control to fire over and level matters, and a free from the veteran dead-ball expert gave Turin a surprise lead at the short whistle.

On the restart, Crookedwood came out in determined fashion and Brian McLoughlin, from the left flank, pointed superbly on the turn. However, Turin lost none of their own determination and on 32 minutes, Alan Aughey grasped a long ball from PJ O’Neill and battled his way past two defenders before rattling the net.

Barry O’Mara responded with a free for the ‘Wood but Turin restored their three-point lead after a controversial point from Darragh Smith, which was allowed by the umpires despite a strong suspicion it had veered wide.

Crookedwood then had a couple of goal chances in quick succession, but without end product. Liam de Clár finished off a brilliant run by crashing the sliotar off the crossbar, while on the other flank, Adam Bate failed to connect after a determined solo run.

Seconds later, the Tricolours reduced the arrears thanks to a point from de Clár, but with 38 minutes gone, Turin restored their three-point advantage with a free from Darragh Smith.

From that point on, it started to come together for the ‘Wood. Barry O’Mara found his range from play and then, on 41 minutes, Noel Yourell fired a hopeful pass from long range that fell perfectly into the paw of Brian McLoughlin only yards from goal. McLoughlin spun around and netted, and the ‘Wood led 1-11 to 2-7.

Shane McGovern, who started to impose himself more on the game at this stage, extended that lead to two points with a great score from the terrace side, and tacked on another wonderful point to cancel out a free from Turin’s Ray Aughey.

Crookedwood then led by three when Brian McLoughlin kicked the bouncing sliotar over the bar after winning a tussle with Turin’s John Egan. The Reds, on the ropes but not out for the count, stayed in contention when Ray Aughey (a free) and Ciaran Kiernan (after a scramble) cancelled out a free from Barry O’Mara.

Now five adrift, Turin badly needed a third goal but they had a profligate final ten minutes, failing to score at all and registering a couple of wides.

Crookedwood closed out the game on top, with Shane McGovern making it 1-16 to 2-10 after another fine score from play, before Barry O’Mara posted two great points, one of them his third ‘65’.

In stoppage time, Turin’s Craig Neville was well placed to threaten the Crookedwood goal but the move broke down, and then the Tricolours had the final say with the last puck of the game.

O’Mara drove the sliotar at the posts from a huge distance but the ball was claimed by Eoin Aughey in the Turin goal. Aughey hadn’t put a foot wrong all day but when catching O’Mara’s salvo, he was adjudged to have carried the sliotar over the line, and the umpires raised a green flag.

The final whistle sounded soon after, and Crookedwood captains Adam Bate and Shane McGovern received the Division 3 shield from Frank Mescall, chairman of Westmeath GAA county board.

Scorers - Crookedwood: B O’Mara 1-10 (0-4f, 0-3 ‘65’), B McLoughlin 1-2, S McGovern 0-4, F Brennan and L de Clár 0-1 each. Turin: R Aughey 1-5 (0-4f), A Aughey 1-0, D Smith 0-3 (2f), C Leech and C Kiernan 0-1 each.

Crookedwood: Alan O’Mara; Matty Ryan, Kevin Orme, Damien Grifferty; John Kiernan, Feichin Óg Brennan, Seamus Savage; Ronan Scally, Simon McCarthy; Noel Yourell, Shane McGovern, Adam Bate; Liam de Clár, Barry O’Mara, Brian McLoughlin. Subs used: David Newman for Orme (48), Enda Murray for de Clár (54), Ger Brennan for Yourell (55).

Turin: Eoin Aughey; Sean Scally, Luke Gardiner, Peter Finch; Craig Neville, Darragh Smith, Oisín L’Estrange; Danny McGrath, Declan McGrath; Ray Aughey, Ciaran Kiernan, PJ O’Neill; Conor Leech, Alan Aughey, Chris Sleator. Subs used: Jack Dowling for Sleator (30), John Egan for L’Estrange (37).

Ref: Ray Farrelly (Lough Lene Gaels).