Mullen guides Rosemount to narrow win over Castledaly

Shay Murtagh Precast Westmeath Intermediate FC, Section A

Rosemount 0-12 Castledaly 1-7

Rosemount came into this game in greater need of victory and this was reflected in the determination they showed to eke out a narrow win over Castledaly in Tubberclair on Friday night of last week.

As things transpired, Ballymore’s defeat to Tubberclair at the same time meant Rosemount would have gone through in any case, though the men in black and amber probably had scant knowledge of how the other game was unfolding.

Rosemount and Castledaly were missing players from what would be their first choice selections, and there were plenty of mistakes and wasteful shooting from both sides. But the closeness of the scoring meant that this Westmeath IFC encounter held the attention until the bitter end.

The defeat cost Castledaly automatic qualification for the semi-finals and they will meet Milltownpass in their quarter-final, with Rosemount to face St Malachy’s in the other quarter-final.

Rosemount suffered a very early blow when injury ended the involvement of midfielder Padraig Geoghegan, with Ben Cox called into the fray in his place. But they did take the lead with a point from Matthew Cox, after good work from Padraig Nestor and Andy McCormack. In the sixth minute, Castledaly’s Fergal Hynes used his strength to good effect to win the ball, before sending over a fine point.

After a bout of scrappy play, Rosemount worked a ‘45’ short to set up a point for the influential Declan Mullen. The same player then pointed a free following a foul on David O’Reilly, whose ball winning ability was causing Castledaly problems.

Good work from Castledaly midfielder Alan Stone created a chance which the lively Adam Turley finished, but Rosemount went 0-5 to 0-2 ahead with points from O’Reilly (a free) and David Tone (a terrific score).

With Castledaly needing to respond, good work from Daniel Heavin and Lorcan Dolan led to Hynes sending over his second point. Another point from Mullen, this one from a mark, put the Roses three in front once more, before Castledaly centre-back John Warburton surged forward and drove over an inspiring point. Moments later, Dolan blocked Rosemount defender Adam Keane who was a bit too casual in possession and sent over a point.

In stoppage time, industrious Rosemount midfielder Andy McCormack came forward and clipped over a point to give his side a half-time lead of 0-7 to 0-5.

The floodlights were turned on for the second half but the Rosemount defence was not switched on when Castledaly were awarded a close range free. Turley took the free quickly and found an unmarked Lorcan Dolan, who swept the ball to the net in clinical fashion.

That 36th-minute goal followed a point from the same player and, suddenly, Castledaly were two points in front.

With their championship hopes looking in real peril, Rosemount reacted positively in adversity. But they had a slice of good fortune when a shot from Ben Cox resulted in a point, with even several Rosemount fans in the stand believing the ball went wide.

Despite Cathal Dolan receiing a black card, Paul Kelly’s charges restored their two-point lead when Daniel Heavin earned and converted a mark. Yet this 39th-minute point would prove Castledaly’s last score of the game. Indeed, Castledaly’s freetaking troubles could be gleaned from the statistic that they didn’t register a point from any free over the course of the game.

Rosemount ultimately secured victory with four unanswered points in the closing stages. Three of the points came from Declan Mullen, who put in a huge shift for his side. For the first, he blasted a left-foot shot just over Jordan Nugent’s crossbar; his next came from a mark (moved in due to the Castledaly defence not retreating) and a splendid kick from the right completed the sequence.

With rain falling steadily, conditions were deteriorating and it was a now a real battle between the two sides who play together at underage level as Cill Óige. Castledaly just couldn’t conjure an equaliser and Matthew Cox gave Des Collins’ men the cushion of a two-point lead.

On the eve of his wedding, Eoin Carberry did well to deal with a dangerous ball from Castledaly substitute George Kearney, the Rosemount goalkeeper picking up an injury in the process as his side held on for a morale-boosting win.

Scorers - Rosemount: D Mullen 0-6 (2 marks, 1f); M Cox 0-2; A McCormack, D Tone, D O’Reilly (f) and B Cox 0-1 each. Castledaly: L Dolan 1-2; F Hynes 0-2; J Warburton, A Turley and D Heavin (mark) 0-1 each.

Rosemount: Eoin Carberry; Ben O’Brien, Adam Keane, Luke Kelly; Lorcan Daly, Padraig Nestor, Darragh Healy; Andy McCormack, Padraig Geoghegan; Plunkett Maxwell, Matthew Cox, David O’Reilly; Cathal Daly, Declan Mullen, David Tone. Subs used: Ben Cox for Geoghegan (injured), Liam Maxwell for P Maxwell.

Castledaly: Jordan Nugent; Shane Dolan, Liam Fitzpatrick, David Dolan; Michael Lynch, John Warburton, Shane Fitzpatrick; Alan Stone, Daniel Heavin; Cathal Dolan, Lorcan Dolan, Fergal Hynes; Aaron Nugent, Adam Turley. MJ Kelly. Subs used: Daragh Kelly for C Dolan; George Kearney for A Nugent.

Referee: Gary Hurley (Moate All Whites).