McCormack leads Caulry comeback as Tang are denied
Caulry 2-16 Tang 1-13
It’s difficult to resist the old ‘game of two halves’ cliché when trying to distil the essence of this Westmeath SFC Section B game at Hogan Park last Sunday.
Ultimately, Caulry emerged as decisive winners by six points, but it was a very different story in the first half during which Tang were much the better team. Tang led by five points at half-time (1-8 to 0-6) and indeed they stretched their advantage to six early in the second period.
Having produced a very poor first-half display, Caulry gradually became a transformed force after the interval. The first Caulry goal, scored by Luke Buckley in the 40th minute, proved crucial in turning the game around. Up until then, Caulry relied on the shooting prowess of Conor McCormack, mainly from frees, to keep them in touch.
From Buckley’s goal onwards, Caulry looked a different team and they ran out convincing winners in the end. From the Mount Temple team’s perspective, a downside was the injury which forced off this year’s Westmeath U20 captain Tadhg Baker early on.
On a fine day in Moate (the counter attraction of the nearby Moate Show may have impacted the attendance), Tang were aided by the breeze in the first half. Scores were slow to arrive in a lacklustre opening, with Tang’s Aidan Burke breaking the deadlock from a 12th-minute free.
John Rock played a one-two with his twin brother Martin and lofted over a splendid point, by some distance the highlight of the action thus far. John Tumelty added a 16th-minute point to leave Tang 0-3 to 0-0 ahead.
Caulry finally opened their account in the 18th minute, Conor McCormack landing a two-pointer from a free. This came after Alan Malynn blasted a goal attempt off target, but play was brought back for the free.
Tang struck for the game’s first goal when an innocuous delivery inside by Jack Keenan was not dealt with by Caulry keeper Jack Connaughton or his defence, allowing Martin Rock to finish the ball to the net from close range. The same player soon followed up with a point to make it 1-4 to 0-2.
Caulry were too slow in getting the ball into their inside forwards and they were let down by a combination of errant shooting and suspect decision making. In contrast, Stephen Coy’s charges were playing with more vigour and they had an edge in the breaking ball stakes around midfield.
Tommy Lennon found the range to make it 1-5 to 0-3, but Tang suffered a blow when key defender Conall McKiernan was forced off with what looked like a serious shoulder injury.
Senan Baker, making his first appearance of this year’s championship, sent over Caulry’s first point from play in effortless style, but in general the Westmeath attacker was living off crumbs. Burke replied with a huge free which saw the orange flag raised at the other end.
McCormack moved Caulry closer with a brace of points (Damien Dolan setting up the first, the second coming from a free). The impressive Martin Rock had the last word before the break, Shane Keenan having done incredibly well to win the ball initially.
Tumelty flicked over the opening score of the second half, but the contest was soon turned on its head. Firstly, though Luke Buckley was unable to finish a good goal chance, advantage was being played and the free was sent over by McCormack for a two-pointer.
Better was to come in the 40th minute for Pat Flanagan’s side when McCormack’s exquisite pass gave Buckley another goal chance and the latter made no mistake this time.
McCormack’s third two-pointer, surely the score of the game off the outside of his left boot, then edged Caulry ahead.
Gaps were now appearing in the Tang defence, with Tang keeper Owen Coughlan called into action to thwart Caulry substitute Colin Murphy, but Buckley hooked over a point on the rebound. Tang briefly halted Caulry’s momentum with a Jack Keenan point from a free. But Caulry, playing in more direct fashion, struck again when the now threatening Buckley added another point after Kevin Maguire instigated the attack.
Points were exchanged between Shane Keenan and Senan Baker, before Caulry’s second goal virtually sealed victory (50th minute). Tiarnán O’Donovan won the ball and fellow sub Murphy played it across to unmarked midfielder Stephen Connolly, who found the Tang net with a composed finish.
In the closing stages, Senan Baker embellished Caulry’s victory with a superb two-pointer off his left foot. Tang’s only scoring response late on came from another Burke free and a ‘45’ by goalkeeper Coughlan.
John Rock received a second yellow card and was therefore sent off in the dying moments as frustration crept into the Tang ranks, with the earlier promise having long since faded. Fittingly, the final score came from the influential McCormack, whose late free took his tally to ten points.
Man of the match: Conor McCormack (Caulry). This year’s Westmeath goalkeeper showed what he has to offer as an outfield player in this game, scoring a total of 0-10, including three two-pointers.
What it means: Caulry now have four points on the board as they seek one of the two qualification places from Section B. But a repeat of their first-half showing certainly wouldn't cut any ice in their upcoming local derbies against Garrycastle and Moate. For Tang’s part, it now looks like it’s going to be a tall order to avoid relegation with games against Killucan and Garrycastle to come.
Scorers - Caulry: C McCormack 0-10 (1tp, 2tpf, 3f); L Buckley 1-2; S Baker 0-4 (1tp); S Connolly 1-0. Tang: M Rock 1-2; A Burke 0-4 (1tpf, 2f); J Tumelty 0-2; J Rock, T Lennon, S Keenan, O Coughlan (‘45’) and J Keenan (f) 0-1 each.
Caulry - Jack Connaughton; Glenn Carolan, Kevin Maguire, Sean Clinton; Damien Dolan, Eoghan Grennan, Oisín Shortall; Stephen Connolly, Tadhg Baker; Sean Murphy, Conor McCormack, Shane Lawless; Luke Buckley, Alan Malynn, Senan Baker. Subs: Colin Murphy for T Baker (injured, 11 mins); Tiarnán O’Donovan for Malynn (46).
Tang - Owen Coughlan; David Marlow, Conall McKiernan, Eoghan Bannon; John Rock, Ronan Hanley, Jason Coughlan; Ciaran Clear, Jack Keenan; Tommy Lennon, Aidan Burke, Callum McGarry; Martin Rock, John Tumelty, Shane Keenan. Subs: Ciaran Hanley for McKiernan (inj., 26 mins); Fergus Farrell for Tumelty (41).
Referee - Mickey Dan Murtagh (The Downs).