Garrycastle 2-9; Maryland 1-5.

A rousing second-half performance by Garrycastle saw off a brave Maryland challenge at a well attended Tubberclair on Monday evening. Maryland - who recently opened their first campaign back at senior level for 28 years with victory over Bunbrosna - refused to stand in awe of their more highly rated opponents during a first half in which they really put it up to a Garrycastle side coping without injured talisman Dessie Dolan. Finbar Egan"s battling young side netted a first-half goal through David Martin and actually led by three points at the interval. In a hard hitting encounter, peppered throughout with several outbreaks of off-the-ball tussling, Garrycastle rallied superbly for the second period and reduced Maryland to rare pot-shots and just a single point during the second 30-minute period. Buoyed by good performances from the non-stop Doran Harte, Sean O"Donoghue and James Duignan - and ably assisted by experienced midfield duo David O"Shaughnessy and Stephen O"Reilly - Garrycastle overpowered and outran Maryland as the game progressed. However, Maryland deserve every credit going for the manner in which they provided a stern test of Garrycastle"s mettle so early in the competition. Following this display, Maryland, followed to Tubberclair by a strong level of support, have much to build upon and every reason to be encouraged about their chances of survival at this level. Finbar Egan has an enthusiastic and dedicated bunch of vibrant players at his disposal, which amazingly includes four Farrell brothers in defence, and they will have gained good experience from this difficult encounter. Garrycastle, now level on points with Mullingar Shamrocks at the top of Division 1A, look almost certain to qualify for the latter stages of the championship once again this year. Even without the services of Dessie Dolan, Garrycastle managed to register a total of eleven scores, including two goals, and they will take encouragement from this statistic. In Dessie"s absence, his younger brother Gary stepped up to the mantle and led the Garrycastle attack with strength and intelligence, netting a goal on 37 minutes and constantly providing a focal point for Garrycastle attacks. However, as already mentioned, the game was slightly tarnished with several off-the-ball incidents and the only blotch on an otherwise good Garrycastle performance was the late dismissal of David O"Shaughnessy for receiving a couple of bookings. In fairness, referee Liam McDaniel could have sent off a couple of other players as the game often threatened to boil over thanks to the over eagerness of several players on too many occasions. While not exactly in desperate need of victory, Garrycastle needed a win of some variety to get their campaign up and running after only drawing their opening match with Mullingar Shamrocks. Maryland, meanwhile, were very much underdogs going into this game but had the safety of an opening round victory over Bunbrosna behind them. Maryland started the game in decent fashion and went on to enjoy the better of the opening half. On seven minutes, James Duignan got Garrycastle up and running with a neatly taken free, but matters were soon level when Sean O"Donoghue was penalised for fouling David Martin, who got to his feet to comfortably convert. Doran Harte then produced a fine piece of defending to deny James Reynolds who was bursting onto a through ball by Kieran Martin. Garrycastle were forced into a change on 13 minutes when Paul Dillon picked up an injury. The towering Aidan Browne took his place and quickly got involved in the action, teeing up Duignan, but his fine effort was slightly off target. Garrycastle were having their best period of the opening half and Duignan grabbed his second point of the day thanks to another free in the 13th minute. Gary Dolan then had a great chance to further increase Garrycastle"s advantage but surprisingly shot wide when a point seemed almost certain. On 16 minutes, Maryland breached Garrycastle"s defence and netted the game"s opening goal, with Callum McCormack - a key figure in the first half - setting up David Martin to fist the ball to the net from close range. Garrycastle were furious with the referee and his fellow officials for allowing the goal, though, feeling that Martin was inside the square when receiving McCormack"s pass. However, the goal stood and Maryland have a major boost. Garrycastle were a little shocked and soon fell further behind when McCormack pointed for Maryland. Stephen Maguire"s point on 25 minutes reduced the deficit to two points again, before Maryland goalkeeper John Murray somehow kept out Duignan"s close-range effort. David O"Shaughnessy pointed to narrow the margin to single point, but Maryland finished the half with a spring in their step, as frees from McCormack and Kieran Martin left the scoreline 1-4 to 0-4 in their favour at the break. Garrycastle were a different team in the second half. They attacked almost continuously and had Maryland on the retreat for much of the period. Garrycastle"s experience and greater strength paid dividends. Firstly, Doran Harte got in behind Maryland"s defence but shot wide when a goal looked on the cards. Gary Dolan then set up substitute Padraig Rattigan but Murray forced the ball wide from close range. Dolan made no mistake from the resulting 45" though, sending the ball over the crossbar from a difficult position. Aidan Browne was now playing a deeper role and Garrycastle"s midfield began to turn the screw. Their intensity had increased and Maryland were struggling to cope. Harte set up Browne and he took his point in fine style, reducing the deficit to a point by the 35th minute. The turning point came two minutes later, when Dolan and Maguire combined well and the former found the net. Garrycastle now led by two points and there was to be no way back for Maryland. In fact, their only score of the second half didn"t arrive until the 52nd minute thanks to a Ronan Moran point. By that point, Garrycastle were coasting to victory courtesy of a seven point cushion. Moments after Dolan"s goal, Duignan"s free gave Garrycastle breathing space and Dolan"s free quickly increased the lead to four points by the 40th minute. Great work by Harte and Maguire set up Stephen O"Reilly for a well taken point on 45 minutes before Garrycastle killed the game off with a second goal. O"Shaughnessy and Duignan worked the opening for Mark McCallon to find the net with ten minutes remaining. Garrycastle could have added further goals in the closing minutes but the final few moments were more notable only for O"Shaughnessy"s dismissal for picking up two bookings. SCORERS - Garrycastle: G Dolan 1-2 (0-1f, 1 45"); M McCallon 1-0; J Duignan 0-3 (3f), S Maguire, S O"Reilly, D O"Shaughnessy 0-1 each. Maryland: D Martin 1-1 (0-1f), C McCormack 0-2 (1f), K Martin 0-1 (1f), R Moran 0-1. GARRYCASTLE: Cathal Mullin; Mark McCallon, John Gaffey, Enda Mulvihill; Donovan Hermbusche, Karl Henson, Doran Harte; David O"Shaughnessy, Stephen O"Reilly; Sean O"Donoghue, Gary Dolan, James Dolan; Paul Dillon, James Duignan, Stephen Maguire. Subs: Aidan Browne for Dillon (13 mins), Padraig Rattigan for Mulvihill (HT), Robbie Fox for Maguire (53). MARYLAND: John Murray; Trevor Farrell, Eoin Farrell, Conor Farrell; Ronan Farrell, John Cunningham, Aidan Reynolds; David Reynolds, Kieran Martin; James Reynolds, Anthony Reynolds, Ronan Moran; John Reilly, David Martin, Callum McCormack. Subs: Tom Browne for J Reynolds (30 mins), Christy Grimes for Aidan Reynolds (39), Stephen Martin for Anthony Reynolds (48), Philip Rainey for T Farrell (48), Darren Malynn for Moran (57). REFEREE: Liam McDaniel (Kilbeggan Shamrocks).