Garrycastle juniors see off Kilbeggan to book final spot

The concession of two well constructed goals, within the opening twenty minutes, ultimately proved too big a mountain to climb for Kilbeggan Shamrocks in Cusack Park, Mullingar, on Saturday evening. In the second of the two Westmeath Junior Football Championship semi-finals, the men in maroon were tipped to advance but Garrycastle's second string were set on emulating their senior squad and advancing to the final. And so it proved, thanks in the main to the two majors. The first of these arrived just 12 minutes in, by which time Noel Galvin and minor star Paul Fennell had traded points. If Paul Mulvihill deserves the plaudits for the finish, the architect was wing-forward Robbie Fox, who stole a march on a slumbering Kilbeggan defence to set up Mulvihill. Kilbeggan Shamrocks' David Keenan had only added a single point to the side's account before goal No. 2 arrived. This time Mulvihill turned provider, turning his marker before releasing Paul Donovan and the impressive full-forward calmly dispatched the ball to the net. Kilbeggan's failure to convert a host of opportunities was proving costly and it took a Paul Fennell point to get their challenge restarted. Just before the break, a Matty McCormack point narrowed the gap to four points but Garrycastle pushed on and points from Noel Galvin, from a placed ball and Paul Donovan left them 2-4 to 0-4 ahead at the break. To stand any chance of recovering, Kilbeggan Shamrocks needed to get out of the blocks very quickly but it was Garrycastle who advanced their cause. Points from Noel Galvin, both frees, took them eight points clear with twenty minutes remaining and really the men in maroon were struggling. They needed a lifeline and one man who is always able to provide it, Emmet Dalton, stepped up to the plate. Mattie McCormack was the architect and Dalton applied the perfect finish, giving Garrycastle's Stephen Maguire little chance. But again wayward shooting was to prove their undoing as a tidier Garrycastle attack raised white flags courtesy of Robbie Fox and Noel Galvin, one again from a Kilbeggan indiscretion. As the game entered the final quarter, the urgency of the situation seemed to dawn on Kilbeggan and the radar began to work. Points from substitute, Keith Gorry, Emmet Brennan and Simon O'Neill were roundly applauded. A Robbie Fox point steadied the Garrycastle ship but the Kilbeggan challenge was far from finished. A typically mazy run from Paul Fennell led to a point and when Simon O'Neill struck for Kilbeggan's ninth point, it was a three point game, 2-9 to 1-9. The game was now in added time and while Mattie McCormack and James Brennan pushed Kilbeggan close to the winning line, Declan Nugent's long whistle brought the curtain down on their championship bid. SCORERS - Garrycastle: N. Galvin 0-6, P. Donovan 1-1 Paul Mulvihill 1-0, R. Fox 0-2. Kilbeggan Shamrocks: E. Dalton 1-1, P. Fennell 0-3, M. McCormack and S. O'Neill 0-2 each, D. Keenan, K. Gorry and J. Brennan 0-1 each. GARRYCASTLE: Stephen Maguire; Gary Mullery, Seán Brennan, Anthony Duignan; Gary McCallon, Tom McHugh, Anthony Larkin; Noel Galvin, Neal Rattigan; Brian Carthy, Peadar Mulvihill, Robbie Fox; Paul Mulvihill, Paul Donovan, Padraig Cosgrove. Subs: Justin Barrett for Peadar Mulvihill, Conor Molloy for Rattigan, Seán Carey for Carthy, Paul Gunning for McCallon. KILBEGGAN SHAMROCKS: Tadhg O'Gorman, Shaun Pidgeon, David Marshall, Mel Kiernan; Kevin Smith, Alan Fennell, David Fennell; James Brennan, Emmet Dalton; Colin Draper, Matty McCormack, Paul Lewis; Paul Fennell, David Keenan, Michael Fox. Subs: Simon O'Neill for Draper, Keith Gorry for Lewis, Paul Maloney for D. Fennell. REFEREE: Declan Nugent, Maryland. ST PAUL'S OVERCOME MILLTOWN In the other semi-final, a goal from Philip Gilsenan put St Paul's firmly on the road to a 1-10 to 0-8 victory over Milltown. It was a clinical finish by Gilsenan, seven minutes into the second period, after a fine pass from team captain Dara Brady. From that moment on, the Saints (for whom John McGuinness scored four points) closed out the game despite Milltown's best efforts. Five points might have slightly flattered the men from Clonmellon but they will certainly fancy their chances of ultimate championship success when they face Garrycastle in the decider. SCORERS - St Paul's: J. McGuinness 0-4, Philip Gilsenan 1-0, Paul Gilsenan and K. Higgins 0-2 each, D. Brady and E. Cuneen 0-1 each. Milltown - F. McLoughlin 0-4, J. Downes 0-2, P. Mahon and G. Byrne 0-1 each. ST PAUL'S: Oliver Mulvaney; Barry Davis, Jimmy McQuaid, Johnny Fitzpatrick; Jack Clancy, Philip Gilsenan, Robbie Dugdale; Paul Gilsenan, David Dolan; Kenny Higgins, Dara Brady, Darren Henry; Lenny Higgins, John McGuinness, Michael Travers. Subs Emmet Cuneen for D. Henry, Conor Sleator for M. Travers, Richard Sheridan for J. Clancy, Ronnie Higgins for L. Higgins. MILLTOWN: Damien Byrne; Paul Heduan, Bernard Kiernan, Tom Dillon; Conor O'Farrell, Conor O'Reilly, Ciaran Byrne; Donal Kenny, Frank McLoughlin; Gary Byrne, Patrick Gavigan, Sean Somers; Jarlath Boyce, John Downes, William Keegan. Subs Paul Mahon for W. Keegan, John Mahon for C. Byrne, Joe Kenny for J. Downes, Patrick Somers for C. O'Farrell, Paul Mulvaney for P. Gavigan. REFEREE: Niall Ward, Garrycastle.