McCormack and Baker drive Caulry to victory as Moate bow out

Any sort of victory in a championship game between Caulry and Moate All Whites is valuable currency. But this win was particularly sweet for Caulry as it sealed a place in the Westmeath SFC quarter-finals at their neighbours’ expense.

Caulry went into last Sunday's game at TEG Cusack Park needing to win by five points to be sure of qualification (provided Killucan defeated St Malachy’s, which they did). Winning a local derby by such a margin against a Moate side who had shown some impressive form in their previous championship outings looked a tall order.

The sides were level at half-time and there were few signs in the first half that Caulry would be able to record such a decisive victory. But with the dynamic duo of Conor McCormack and Senan Baker lighting up this contest, scoring 1-16 between them, Caulry produced a huge second-half display to secure the sort of win they required. Baker has been hampered by injuries this year, but he demonstrated his undoubted talent in this game, scoring a couple of two-pointers that were worth the admission price alone.

But Caulry have precious little time to rest on their laurels as they prepare to face Coralstown/Kinnegad next Sunday (TEG Cusack Park, 4.15). Coralstown/Kinnegad have been a real bogey team for Caulry in recent years, and it remains to be seen if the Mount Temple outfit can reverse that trend on Sunday.

Val Daly’s side won three games and played well in their narrow defeat to Garrycastle, but they paid the price for failing to perform in this vital clash. The All Whites lost their way in the second half when Caulry surged ahead and, overall, their challenge wilted alarmingly. They appeared to chase goals too soon when chipping away at the deficit with points could have borne fruit.

Caulry actually got off to a shaky start, falling 0-4 to 0-0 in arrears inside the opening eight minutes and it could have been worse, with Tobby Conteh firing a goal chance wide with scarcely a minute gone. Moate midfielder Harry Niall opened the scoring with a two-pointer (third minute) and pointed frees followed from Billy Berry and Robbie Forde.

In Caulry’s first genuine attack, Senan Baker blasted wide but the same player soon made amends (11th minute), after Conor McCormack had opened their account from a free.

Forde moved Moate 0-5 to 0-2 ahead, but Caulry levelled matters with a 15th-minute goal. McCormack’s pass to Baker created the opening and when the latter moved the ball on, the raiding Sean Murphy found the net with a composed finish.

Lively Moate attacker Billy Berry was full of endeavour and he soon contributed two points, either side of McCormack converting a ‘45’ at the other end. The second of Berry’s brace from play (a fisted effort) came when he followed up his own initial attempt which dropped short.

In the 21st minute, Tiarnán O’Donovan came agonisingly close to scoring a second Caulry goal; his audacious, lobbed effort beat Moate keeper James Mitchell but hit off the post. McCormack’s first two-pointer (a free) edged Caulry in front before Harry Niall levelled matters at 0-8 to 1-5, and that’s how it remained at half-time.

But with Kevin Maguire driving forward from defence, Caulry spurned a couple of decent chances to go ahead. O’Donovan saw his low shot blocked when possibly taking the wrong option and one wondered if such misses would come back to haunt them.

Yet McCormack’s second two-pointer gave Caulry a lift early in the second half. And after Forde responded with a single, Pat Flanagan's charges stuck for a 1-6 salvo which dramatically altered the overall picture.

An exquisite two-pointer from Tadhg Baker off his left foot started the sequence and points followed from McCormack and Luke Buckley. Baker scored the second Caulry goal (40th minute), finishing to the net from close range after McCormack's delivery inside. Another majestic two-pointer from Baker made it 2-13 to 0-9.

An excellent point by substitute Ronan Murray was badly needed from a Moate perspective, but they were unable to build on it. McCormack brought his tally to 0-10 with two more scores (a rare right-footed point) and a two-pointer free.

But the All Whites were not out of the hunt as they could still progress with a narrow defeat. As they applied late pressure, Forde converted two frees and after Caulry sub Colin Murphy set up a point for Tadhg Baker, Moate were awarded a penalty for a foul on Daragh Lowry. The 57th-minute penalty was netted by Forde to leave eight between them, giving Moate some hope.

But Caulry's winning margin remained at that level with Tadhg Baker posting Caulry's last score (fittingly, given his overall display), before another pointed free from Forde completed Moate's tally.

Scorers – Caulry: C McCormack 0-10 (1tp, 2tpf, 1 ’45, 1f); S Baker 1-6 (2tp); S Murphy 1-0; L Buckley and T Baker 0-1 each. Moate: R Forde 1-6 (1-0pen, 4f); H Niall (1tp) and B Berry (1f) 0-3 each; R Murray 0-1.

Caulry – Jack Connaughton; Glenn Carolan, Kevin Maguire, Sean Clinton; Damien Dolan, Eoghan Grennan, Oisín Shortall; Stephen Connolly, Tadhg Baker; Sean Murphy, Conor McCormack, Shane Lawless; Tiarnán O’Donovan, Senan Baker, Luke Buckley. Subs: Colin Murphy for Grennan (h-t); Neil Clinton for Dolan (50); Alan Malynn for Buckley (60).

Moate All Whites – James Mitchell; Luke Whitney, Cathal O’Brien, Andrew Gorman; James Bracken, Paul Gorman, Tom Gorman; Harry Niall, Daragh Lowry; Conor Bracken, Robbie Forde, Dylan Nulty; Billy Berry, Tobby Conteh, Hagan Niall. Subs: Ronan Murray for C Bracken (h-t); Ruairi Cunningham for Hagan Niall (39); Eoin Bracken for Berry (48); Darragh Delaney for Harry Niall (50); Conor Sheridan for Nulty (58).

Referee – Enda Kelly (Castledaly).