Cully pulls strings in Mary’s win

St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge got their championship campaign back on track in Shandonagh on Sunday afternoon when they ran out easy winners against a Castletown/Finea/Coole/Whitehall side who are still looking for their first win after two rounds.

After both teams suffered defeats on the opening weekend of the championship, this was a must-win encounter and St Mary’s bainisteoir Damien Gavin will be pleased with the manner in which his team saw off the challenge of a CFCW team that will be disappointed with their performance.

Following a lively first quarter in which both teams had their moments, St Mary’s completely dominated with Shane and Enda Cully to the fore. The Cullys were ably assisted by the midfield duo of Liam Carey and Darragh Hall who won the aerial battle against their CFCW counterparts, David Higgins and Cian Shyrane.

Jack Carroll, who finished the match with 2-3, was another St Mary’s player who impressed and looked as if he was going to score every time he gained possession.

CFCW on the other hand are still looking for their first win and have a lot of work to do on the training pitch if they are to retain their intermediate status.

Gerry Feery’s men began brightly enough and opened the scoring with a pointed free from Joe Rabbitt. St Mary’s response was swift with man of the match Shane Cully sending the ball over the bar following good work by the industrious Nathan Hall.

CFCW’s only goal came on eight minutes courtesy of Conor Gaffney who planted the ball past St Mary’s keeper Eoin Gorman. The goal was quickly followed by the first of Mark Cunningham’s four points. However, that score marked the end of their short-lived purple patch.

St Mary’s gained a foothold in the middle third and between the tenth minute and half-time scored 3-11 with the goals coming from Kevin Corrigan and a brace of clinically dispatched efforts from Jack Carroll. CFCW’s sole reply was a pointed free from Rabbitt. Half-time score: St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge 3-13 CFCW 1-3.

Although the game was over as a meaningful contest long before the half-time whistle, the performance levels of the St Mary’s players did not drop significantly in the second period, which is sure to please their mentors.

Shane Cully opened the second-half scoring, while a brace of two-point efforts from Liam Carey and John Fallon extended the Division 3 ACFL champion’s lead.

CFCW were not to be outdone on the two-pointer front and long-range efforts from Joe Rabbitt and David Higgins helped give the scoreboard a veneer of respectability.

To their credit, St Mary’s continued to ask questions of the CFCW defence in the final quarter and kept the scoreboard ticking over courtesy of points from Oisin Carolan, Shane Cully and Liam Carey.

Given the fact that he was the game’s standout performer, it was fitting that Shane Cully got his side’s fourth and final goal with almost the last kick of the game.

St Mary’s team and management are well aware that stiffer challenges lie ahead, but they will be happy to have secured their first win in this year’s championship at the second time of asking.

CFCW will have to improve significantly if the 2026 is not to be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

Scorers

St Mary’s: Jack Carroll 2-3 (0-1f), Shane Cully 1-6, Nathan Hall 0-4 (one 2p) Liam Carey 0-4 (one 2p) Kevin Corrigan 1-0, Enda Cully 0-2, John Fallon 0-2 (2p), Enda Cully 0-2.

CFCW: Joe Rabbitt 0-5 (4f, one 2pf), Mark Cunnigham 0-4, Ben Delaney 1-0, David Higgins 0-2 (2p).

CFCW: Garry Sullivan; Oisin Gaffney, Glen Plunkett, Matthew O’Reilly; Darragh O’Reilly, Ryan Moore, Conor Gaffney; David Higgins, Cian Shyrane; Andrew Dermody, Mark Cunningham, Emmet Corrigan; Kevin Brazil, Joe Rabbit, Aidan Daly. Subs used: Johnny Dermody for Conor Gaffney, Vincent Plunkett for Cian Shyrane, Owen McMahon for Aidan Daly, Ben Delaney for Andrew Dermody, Ciaran O’Donnell for Mark Cunningham.

St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge: Eoin Gorman; Billy Arthur, Aidan Robinson, Edward Whelehan; Enda Cully, Peter Lalor, John Fallon; Liam Carey, Darragh Hall; Tiernan Jessop McCormack, Shane Cully, Nathan Hall; Jack Carroll, Oisin Carolan, Kevin Corrigan. Subs used: Samuel Plant for Aidan Robinson, Liam Clarke for Billy Arthur, Darren Kilcoyne for Tiernan Jessop McCormack.

Referee: Niall Ward (Garrycastle)