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Early goal blitz enough to thwart Garrycastle's title dream

St Malachy's/Ballinagore 3-7, Garrycastle 1-7

Tosach Mhaith Leath na h Oibre, the old adage tells us, and, its truth was brought into sharp focus when, at Lakepoint Park, Mullingar, St. Malachy's/Ballinagore hit a brace of goals against Garrycastle inside the opening seven minutes of this Westmeath M.F.C. Division 2 final.

At the end of actual playing time, six points was the margin of victory enjoyed by the mid-county combination and while these bald statements convey none of the drama of Garrycastle's heroic third quarter fight-back, the importance of 'striking when the iron is hot' was ultimately reflected by the full time score at St. Loman's ground.

Torrential rain on Friday night resulted in the original venue for this final - Hogan Park, Moate - declared unplayable as were many others with the action switching to St. Loman's headquarters, Lakepoint Park, Mullingar, a venue which, incidentally staged three games on the day before.

Many of these St. Malachy's/Ballinagore squad were members of the Castletown-Geoghegan team who recently won the Westmeath Minor Hurling Championship title when beating Clonkill by 1-14 to 2-8.

Top scorer on the day, Aonghus Clarke, who bagged 1-8 on that occasion, was named at midfield for Saturday's decider, but he didn't line out, being replaced by Diarmuid Garvin. Garrycastle, also, were deprived of the services of senior panellist Shane Mulvihill (hamstring injury against St. Loman's in the County S.F.C. final). But they fielded a strong team under the captaincy of Gary Mullery.

An earlier loss to Tyrrellspass was followed by impressive wins over Ballynacargy, Moate All Whites and a one-point semi-final victory over the Tidy Town to compensate for the first round reverse. On the other hand, the Malachy's/Ballinagore lads showed their mettle with a hard-earned one-point verdict over a good Rosemount team (1-12 to 2-8) in terrible conditions a week earlier.

A further motivational factor for the mid-county combo was that they were appearing in their second consecutive final, and, as if spurred on by losing out in 2008, Ciarán Kirby and Ger Claffey's charge hit the Lakepoint Park surface with all guns blazing. Despite Garrycastle registering an early wide, there then unveiled a spell of almost total Malachy's/Ballinagore dominance. Playing with the advantage of a slightly diagonal wind, they didn't allow Garrycastle an iota of wriggle-room as they pummelled their opponent goal relentlessly. Their first major strike came on three minutes when, following an incisive run from wing-forward Luke Cassidy, the ball hopped to full-forward Darren Ruane who fired a rocket to the back of the net. Attack after attack ensued for the Red and Whites, but three successive wides spoiled good approach work. They struck again four minutes later, this time when corner forward Neal Kirby dribbled through the 'Castle rearguard to raise another green flag.

In Garrycastle's first real attack following those dreadful blows, full-forward Tom O'Halloran was fouled with Stephen Relihan pointing the resultant free. Hopes that this score would initiate a 'Castle renaissance were rapidly dispelled, however, as Malachy's points were registered courtesy of Neal Kirby, Niall O'Brien (free) excellent centre-back Colin O'Brien, Darren Ruane and earlier-introduced substitute Luke Peppard.

This was, on the run of play, rich pickings indeed for a spell of dominance from the 10th to the 28th minute. But it left a shell-shocked Garrycastle with a veritable mountain to climb.

There was a glimmer of hope, however, as Garrycastle ended the half in impressive manner - a brace of points from play, via Alex Gardiner and Sean Brennan, with a shot from the centre-forward cannoning off the post, indicated evidence of a welcome revival to the fortunes of the Green and Red, but it was still on intimidating eight-point gap that separated the sides (2-5 to 0-3) at ref Séamus McCormack's short whistle.

A rapid-fire response was essential for the Shannonsiders on the resumption of play, but, in an uncanny resemblance to the start of the opening half, it was Malachy's/Ballinagore who struckk first. Full forward Darren Ruane's speculative shot was seized on by the alert Luke Peppard and fired home for goal No. 3 with clinical precision.

Other teams would likely capitulate at this strike, which opened up an 11-point gap, but it was only then that we witnessed the South Westmeath lads playing as we know they could.

They received a timely boost (34th min) when a dipping shot from Stephen Relihan deceived goalie Noel Claffey for a tonic goal. But in what turned out to be a master stroke the Malachy's/Ballinagore management team promptly introduced Niall Kelly between the posts - he had been originally named as left back - but didn't start the game. Niall had been custodian for the Black and Ambers in their recent Minor Hurling Championship Final, but what a baptism of fire he was about to now undergo and pass, with first class honours.

Buoyed by that Relihan goal strike, Garrycastle now launched a series of offensives but found dual-code custodian Kelly in unbeatable form. He saved a duo of shots, from Seán Brennan and Tom O'Halloran, with goals written all over them in lighting succession, with another Brennan bullet similarly despatched to safety at the expense of a fruitless '45'. Wing forward Eoin Monaghan placed Tom O'Halloran for a fine point, with another Stephen Relihan pointed free quickly following.

Shane Mulvihill was introduced to the action midway through the half, but, in a now rare attack from the Red and Whites, Diarmuid Garvin pointed a free, their first score in 17th minutes. It was only a temporary aberration, however, for a now-dominant Garrycastle.

Their defence, especially their halfback trio David Brougham, Garry Mullery and Gary McCallon (who had held their opposing half forward trio scoreless throughout) were giving precious little away to earlier dominant opponents, while the midfield duo of Robbie Henshaw and David McHugh had wrested the initiative in this sector. R

obbie sent over two impressive points for his team, to narrow the gap to a manageable five points with seven minutes left. Garrycastle, jointly managed by Thomas Keena, Pádraig Cosgrove, James Duignan and Pádraig Rattigan, looked set for a grandstand finish. But they missed a few good chances of scores with some wayward shooting - also a tendency to go for goals with points for the taking cost them a few scores.

Just when, despite the misses, it seemed Garrycastle would stage a late, late rally to further eliminate the deficit, back came the Ennelsiders, and it was another substitute this time Kieran Glennon, who restored that six-point margin when pointing in the 29th minute.

Time ran out on the Garrycastle lads, and the full time whistle saw St. Malachy's/Ballinagore capture the Minor 'B' title.

That whirlwind start, which by the 28th minute of play had realised 2-5, that priceless goal just after half-time, and critically those series of wonder saves by substitute goalkeeper Niall Kelly, accurately summarise the reason why the championship cup now rests with the Malachy's/Ballinagore mid county combination.

Although losing out on the day, this was a year where Garrycastle made serious progress in the grade. It's 1999 since a minor title came to the club, but the present squad give indications of better days in the near future.

In a final where their best performances came in the second half after a forgettable opening moiety, In a final where their best performances came in the second half after a forgettable opening moiety, David Brougham, Gary Mullery, Gary McCallon, Robbie Henshaw, Sean Brennan, top scorer Stephen Relihan and Tom O'Halloran were best.

Scorers: St. Malachy's/Ballinagore: Darren Ruane (1-1), Neal Kirby (1-1), Luke Peppard (1-1), Niall O'Brien (0-1, free), Colin O'Brien (0-1), Diarmuid Garvin (0-1 free), Kieran Glennon (0-1).

Garrycastle: Stephen Relihan (1-2, 0-2 frees), Robbie Henshaw (0-2), Alex Gardiner (0-1), Seán Brennan (0-1), Tom O'Halloran (0-1).

St. Malachy's/Ballinagore: Noel Claffey, Dean McDermott, Paul Newman (capt), Mike Dever, Brian Killian, Colin O'Brien, Jordan Cassidy, Diarmuid Garvin, David Lynch, Luke Cassidy, Brian Sheerin, Eoin Whelan, Neal Kirby, Darren Ruane, Niall O'Brien. Subs: Luke Peppard for Whelan, Niall Kelly for Claffey, Kieran Glennon for Sheerin. Also on panel: Aonghus Clarke, Eoin Quinn and Niall Gunning.

Garrycastle: Ian Gardiner, Keith Donoghue, Liam Flynn, Justin Barrett, David Brougham, Gary Mullery (capt), Gary McCallon, Robbie Henshaw, David McHugh, Alex Gardiner, Seán Brennan, Eoin Monaghan, Stephen Relihan, Tom O'Halloran, Enda Kenna. Subs: Eamonn Rattigan for Barrett; Shane Mulvihill for Kenna; Ian Turley for Alex Gardiner; Jack Donoghue for Monaghan. Also on panel: Jamie Hoey, Barry Ruane, Seán Carey, Conor Donoghue, Mark Keenan and Paul Gunning.

Referee: Séamus McCormack (St. Joseph's, Streamstown).