Garrycastle snatch victory as late Nugent goal proves crucial

A late Jason Nugent goal helped to give Garrycastle victory over Caulry in this Westmeath Senior Football Championship Section A game at Páirc Chiaráin last Friday evening.

This was a clash between two sides who had lost in the opening round and it was on an even keel for the whole game with never much between them on the scoreboard.

Caulry were leading by three points near the end but paid the price for giving away possession. The ball ended up in the hands of Jason Nugent and his point attempt deceived the keeper and ended up in the net.

It looked a draw with the clock gone red, which would have left both teams joint bottom of the table with one point each. But Garrycastle sub Eoin Monaghan then kicked the winning point.

Caulry manager, Nigel Dineen, a former Roscommon U21 manager, must have felt his side had no luck in this game as they probably deserved at least a draw.

Garrycastle held a slender lead for three thirds of the game, Caulry taking the ascendancy for the first time in the fourth quarter, only to lose after that very fortunate Garrycastle goal.

Oisin Mulvihill got the scoring up and running for Garrycastle in the first minute. first Jason Nugent had an initial attempt but the ball fell to young Mulvihill and he popped over the first score of the game. The lively Brian Doyle responded immediately with a Caulry point and that was the trend of the game thereafter.

Alex Gardiner then kicked a booming 45 that hit the upper netting behind the goal.

Then Conor Cosgrove popped over a close in free to extend the Athlone-based side’s lead.

Caulry full-back Kevin Maguire came forward to kick a left footed free to cut the arrears but then the first goal of the game came about.

Cathal Mannion kicked in a perfect kick pass to Ben Donegan and he finished with aplomb, past Jack Connaughton in goal. Garrycastle led 1-3 to 0-2 in the 12th minute.

To their credit, Caulry immediately responded. They upped the ante and keeper Connaughton kicked a two point free and Tiarnán O’Donovan added another score, leaving just the bare minimum between them.

But Garrycastle had the better of the second quarter as scores from Cosgrove, Eoin Mulvihill and a long range free from Gardiner had them leading 1-6 to 0-6 at half-time.

After the resumption, Gardiner was fouled and he kicked the resultant free to extend their lead. Just when the game looked to be going from them, Caulry again responded. Firstly, keeper Connaughton kicked his second two-point free, and then Stephen Connolly let fly, off his left foot, for a two-pointer, and the sides were level in the 46th minute.

Then moments later, O’Donovan kicked Caulry into the ascendancy for the first time as the game moved into the fourth quarter.

The Mount Temple/Baylin side finally had the lead and control but they only scored once more, When Brian Doyle rattled the back of the Garrycastle net after good work from Sean Murphy (53rd minute), it looked like the Mount Temple/Baylin men were on the way to securing victory. They led 1-12 to 1-9, with the clock about to go red.

Then Garrycastle’s hardest working player Nugent had possession about 35 metres from the Caulry goal and he aimed for a point.

He slipped kicking the ball, but the ball ended up in the Caulry net, and the sides were level. Then substitute Eoin Monaghan kicked the winner for Garrycastle, leaving Caulry without a point on the board yet.

Scorers – Garrycastle: A Gardiner 0-4 (1 45, 2f); B Donegan and J Nugent 1-0 each; C Cosgrove 0-3 (2f); O Mulvihill, E Mulvihill and E Monaghan 0-1 each. Caulry: B Doyle 1-1; J Connaughton 0-4 (2tpf); T O’Donovan and S Connolly (tp) 0-2 each; C Murphy, K Maguire (f) and O Shortall 0-1 each.

Garrycastle - Sean Brennan; Fergal McKiernan, Jack Donohue, Gary McCallon; Bill Kelly, Mark McCallon, Cathal Mannion; Eoin Mulvihill, Oisin Mulvihill; Ben Donegan, Alex Gardiner, Jason Nugent; Conor Cosgrove, Michael Monaghan, James McHugh. Subs used: Eoin Monaghan, Jamie Carroll, Rory McGowan, John Gaffey.

Caulry - Jack Connaughton; Sean Clinton, Kevin Maguire, Cormac Murphy; Oran Healy, Tadhg Baker, Damien Dolan; Sean Murphy, Stephen Connolly; Brian Doyle, Shane Lawless, Tiarnán O’Donovan; Oisin Shortall, Colin Murphy, Luke Buckley. Subs used: Eoghan Grennan and Paddy Sleator.

Referee - Eoin Jordan (Athlone).