Garrycastle overcome Clonguish in thrilling extra-time cliffhanger

It took extra time to produce a winner in this absorbing Leinster Club Senior Football Championship quarter-final at Pearse Park, Longford on Sunday afternoon last as Westmeath kingpins Garrycastle finally edged over the winning line against a resilient Clonguish. The Longford champions had, in the second half of the contest, hauled back a five-point deficit to actually take a slender lead before an injury-time equaliser from corner back Enda Mulvihill forced a further twenty minutes of action and facilitated ultimate victory for the Lake County standard-bearers. The reward for Anthony Cunningham's charges is a mouth-watering semi-final joust with Dublin champions Ballyboden St. Enda's at Cusack Park, Mullingar on Sunday week, November 22nd. However, in the midst of that rip-roaring second-half rally by thirteen-times Longford Champions Clonguish, thoughts of further progress in the current campaign were far from the minds of Garrycastle supporters as they saw their lead steadily whittling away at the hands of a David Bardon-inspired Clonguish. Fortune none the less, favours the brave and despite missing two scoreable opportunities in those spine-tingling closing minutes, a move initiated in the second minute of added on time by corner forward James Duignan, fell via Doran Harte, to the corner back Enda Mulvihill, who far from his allotted starting berth, sent over a brilliant equaliser to bring proceedings to extra time. Pearse Park basking in early winter sunshine, was in excellent condition, following excesses of heavy rain in previous days for this local derby confrontation, renewing traditional Longford /Westmeath rivalry. Pre-match speculation tended to confer advantage to Clonguish, who jointly managed by Liam Belton and Liam Doherty had tasted provincial glory, as recent as Sunday October 25 when dishing out an eleven-point drubbing on home turf, to a fancied Horeswood (Wexford) team. Garrycastle on the other hand were making their 2009 debut on the Leinster stage - it was Sunday October 4th since they took their fourth Flanagan Cup of the decade with a facile 3-8 to 0-6 win over St. Loman's. Would the recent provincial action now work in Clonguish's favour? Garrycastle In Control Both contestants showed changes on their starting line-outs from those on the match programme. David O'Shaughnessy, instead of Aidan Browne, started at midfield for Garrycastle, partnering Seanie O'Donoghue, while the Newtownforbes-based home squad introduced David Quinn at corner forward to the exclusion of Collie Clarke. With not a breeze blowing, it was Garrycastle lining out in the Westmeath maroon colours due to the similarity of club strips, who would set down a big marker for all of the opening twenty minutes, in which spell their hosts failed to raise a flag. Scarcely two minutes had elapsed when following a foul on wing forward James Dolan scoring supremo Dessie Dolan pointed the resultant free to give his team a lad they wouldn't relinquish until the 57th minute of play. With David O'Shaughnessy showing much of his traditional flair and work-rate at midfield, the Westmeath men proceeded to impose their authority on proceedings. The Clonguish tactic of utilising corner forward David Quinn as an extra defender, with a consequent two man full-forward line, was cutting little ice against the close marking 'Castle rearguard, who were mopping up lots of poorly directly Clonguish attacking forays, but it was a rather fortunate goal strike on eight minutes which gave the Westmeath side a huge boost. A centre from midfielder Seanie O'Donoghue came to Dessie Dolan, working on the left wing and with skipper Gary Dolan in the Clonguish goalie's line of vision, a dipping shot from Dessie deceived the 'keeper and went all the way to the net. It was the only green flag of the match but what an important score it would turn out to be. It took another splendid block from custodian Watters to prevent another Dessie Dolan goal almost immediately. But Garrycastle increased their lead (17th minute) when a short fall from Dessie Dolan came to brother Gary who promptly pointed, Dessie punished a 20th minute foul on himself with another pointed free, resulting in a 1-3 to nil lead. Decisive Scoreboard Advantage These were indeed fruitful times for the visitors who but for some goal misses and wayward shooting could possibly have been out of sight at this remove. Clonguish opened their account with a Paul Bardon point, following good work by attacking full-back Seamus Prunty on 21 minutes, but Gary Dolan shot a flying point, with a goal definitely on, in the ensuing play. Relieved at this let-off, the Longford champions showed their mettle, as midfielder David Barden hit two top-class points from play, followed by a Paul Barden free to cut arrears to a goal. The final score, one minute into injury time, fell Garrycastle's way, as midfielder Seanie O'Donoghue, despite running into heavy traffic, sent a superb shot between the posts to leave his team 1-5 to 0-4 in front at referee David Coldrick's short whistle, but on the run of play, should have been further ahead. Resurgent Clonguish Garrycastle started the second half with Gary Dolan at midfield and David O'Shaughnessy at wing forward, but Paul Bardon's-pointed free, thirty seconds in gave signs of resurgence from Clonguish. Back came the Westmeath champs, with top scorers Gary and Dessie Dolan (32nd and 37th minutes) both pointing from play, simultaneously opening up a five-point gap. It wasn't very obvious at this stage but we were in the process of witnessing a sea change in fortunes of the Clonguish fifteen. Midfielders David Faughnan's point eleven minutes into the second half was precursor to a 15-minute spell of dominance which would turn this quarter-final on its head, realising six consecutive points, to allow the home side edge in front. Midfielders David Barden turned in a tour-de-force performance as part of this renaissance, his forceful runs at the Garrycastle defence putting them under severe pressure. Full forward Paddy Dowd having moved out toward the midfield diamond, with team captain Paul Bardon, were also key performers in reviving Clonguish fortunes. Paddy had a goal on when sending a rocket over the bar and almost immediately it took a brilliant interception form corner back Enda Mulvihill from the number fourteen to prevent another goal, but Dowd pointed the resultant '45'. A further brace of superbly engineered points from play, courtesy of a new rampant David Barden had the sides level on 56 minutes and the home supporters raised the roof when Paddy Dowd gave Clonguish the lead. In the closing minutes and having gone since the seventh minute of the half without a score, the outstanding Doran Harte inspired a late Garrycastle rally and it was corner back Enda Mulvihill who gave his team a draw with a great effort from play just two minutes into added time. Garrycastle Prevail With temperatures rapidly dropping and light about to fade it was extra time of a marathon contest which provided great entertainment to those lucky to be present. Sub Joe O'Brien restored the Clonguish lead three minutes in, but Padraig Rattigan started the move which set up Garrycastle sub Stephen O'Reilly for a splendid equaliser. It would now become the James Duignan show when the number fifteen sent over the first of his three 'extra time' points which put Garrycastle 1-10 to 0-12 ahead after sixteen minutes. The quick change over proved a decisive factor here. Two quick points from James Duignan and Dessie Dolan extended the 'Castle lead, but Pat Bardon's Clonguish point was followed by yet another from the 'on fire' Duignan. Sub Collie Clarke) and Paul Bardon again made it a one-point game but with the traditional raft of subs now introduced it was Dessie Dolan who displayed a moment of sheer genius to point from almost the end line, ensuring victory for Garrycastle. Team and Scorers Garrycastle: Cathal Mullen, Padraig Rattigan, John Gaffey, Enda Mulvihill (0-1), Mark McCallon, Karl Henson, Doran Harte, Seanie O'Donoghue (0-1), David O'Shaughnessy, James Dolan, Dessie Dolan (1-5, 0-2 frees), Patrick Mulvihill, Paul Dillon, Gary Dolan (capt) (0-3) and James Duignan (0-3). Subs: Stephen O'Reilly (0-1) for Dillon (40), Robbie Fox for James Dolan (48), Johnny Maguire for Patrick Mulvihill (56), Tom McHugh for Henson (start of e/t), James Dolan for Fox (1st period e/t), Donovan Hermbusche for McCallon (2nd period e/t) and Alan Daly for Maguire (2nd period e/t). Clonguish: Stephen Watters, Gerry O'Malley, Seamus Prunty, Brendan Burke, Anthony Corcoran, Enda Williams, Padraig Cooney, David Barden (0-4), David Faughnan (0-1), Kevin Burke, Paul Barden (Capt) (0-5, 0-2 frees), Darren Quinn, David Quinn, Paddy Dowd (0-3, 0-1 '45') and Ciaran Williams. Subs: Niall O'Reilly for O'Malley (15), Joe O'Brien (0-1) for O'Reilly (40), Collie Clarke (0-1 free) for Faughnan (1st period e/t) and Faughnan for Clarke (2nd period e/t). Referee: David Coldrick (Meath)