McCormack kicks precious winner as Maryland reach promised land

After two games and extra-time it took a monster "45" from the boot of Callum McCormack with the last kick of the game to see the blues of Maryland eventually exorcise the demons of finals past and win the Peter Geraghty Cup. Four final defeats in the last 21 years have been bitter pills to swallow for the Drumraney side, but the hurt and disappointment was washed away at about 4.30 on Sunday last as team captain James Reynolds lifted the cup aloft to the tumultuous cheers of the gathered faithful. If you wanted twists and turns reminiscent of a Stephen King novel, Cusack Park in Mullingar on Sunday last was the place to be as two evenly matched sides went toe to toe in what was surely the game of the season in any grade, played in a very sporting manner, and handled superbly by match official Sean Carroll. It had all the ingredients of a classic and it was sad to see any team lose, and many in the sizable crowd would have loved to have seen a third instalment, such was the pleasure derived from not just this game but its predecessor seven days ago. Whoever said that you can"t play good football in October obviously forgot to tell these two sides, as they treated us to all that is good in the game and both sides and the referee are to be commended for that. In the end, however, it was Maryland"s day at last, after so many near misses. But it could have gone either way at any time and Ballynacargy must take great consolation in a fantastic performance and their day will come. The game started - as it had seven days previously - in nervous fashion, as both sides tried to gain the upper hand on each other. To be honest, the opening 15 minutes were instantly forgettable, marked by some poor attempts by either side and several yellow cards in a 'getting to know you' phase. John Reilly for Maryland went close firstly when his goal-bound shot was brilliantly blocked by Aidan Lyons and then Reilly"s shot came back off the post after he had cut in along the end-line. At the other end, Declan McGuinness looked clean through on goal but was dispossessed in the process of striking and it looked like a penalty, but referee Sean Carroll was right on the spot and was adamant that it was a fair challenge. Maryland then lost wing-back Ronan Moran through injury and he was replaced by Trevor Farrell. The game was slightly disjointed at this stage but the first score came on 12 minutes when Dwayne Maher converted a 21-yard free for a foul on Declan McGuinness. The same player won another free (that was close to being a penalty) when he was hauled down by Maryland keeper John Murray and Liam O"Reilly converted this free. Bal" were on top now but they were guilty of some bad misses. On the break, James Reynolds got Maryland off the mark when he looked clean through after a super pass by Kieran Martin, but his effort went over rather than under the bar. It would take just two minutes, however, for Maryland to remedy that statistic when John Reilly found Kieran Martin and he powerfully soloed through and hit an unstoppable shot to the back of the net. Bal" hit back in the dying embers of the half with 3 points in a row from Liam Reilly (21-yard free), Mark Wallace (after a quick one two with Reilly) and Dwayne Maher (who pointed a monster free) to leave the score at half-time, Ballynacargy 0-5 Maryland 1-1. If the first half was dull then the second more than made up for it. Callum McCormack levelled matters within just two minutes with a long range free before Kieran Martin hit the score of the game from a narrow angle on the terrace side. When David Martin made it three in a row for Maryland with another long-range effort, it looked as if they would now go on and win comfortably. Callum McCormack put 3 between the sides when he converted a free from distance and the game looked done and dusted. But Bal" are nothing if not resilient and after Mark Murphy had pointed when he looked certain to score a goal, Davy Doran burst through only to see his shot superbly saved by John Murray. On the rebound, however, Micky Loran was on hand to tap the ball into the empty net for a goal and unbelievably Bal" led by a point. It should have been four when Davy Doran looked odds on to convert after he was clean through, but Murray came to Maryland"s rescue again with a miraculous save and, on the break, Anthony Reynolds popped over the equaliser. Maryland missed a couple of good chances thereafter but they surely thought they had won it when Tom Browne struck a beauty from a wonderful McCormack pass and, as the game ticked toward 62 minutes, it looked all over. But after a super run by Declan McGuinness, Dwayne Maher received the ball and his shot flew over for the equaliser right on the stroke of full-time and now extra-time beckoned. If the teams were tired then they didn"t show it as the game continued at its 100 mile an hour pace. John Reilly could have got a goal but he settled for a point as Maryland drew first blood. Maher replied with a free for Ballynacargy and then put his side one up with a 21 yard free after a harsh call on Maryland"s Ronan Farrell. Then the game looked to have turned in Ballynacargy"s favour when Declan McGuinness was clean through only to be hauled down by David Reynolds - who got his marching orders for the tackle - but Maher missed the resultant free from the 14 yard line and it was to prove crucial. The second half of extra-time started with another Ballynacargy point. When Dwayne Maher pointed after a super move between Jason Wallace and Micky Loran to give his side a two-point lead, the game looked over. But Maryland staged a fightback and, when Kieran Martin found Damien Reynolds, he made no mistake. The equaliser was slightly fortuitous when a high hanging ball from Kieran Martin was missed by the Bal" defence and Callum McCormack somehow got his fist to it for a point. At this stage, the game seemed to have draw written all over it, but there was one final twist when Bal" failed to deal with an innocuous Maryland attack and the ball went out for a "45". Up stepped Callum McCormack, who coolly slotted the ball straight over the crossbar, to forever more put his name into Maryland lore. Seconds later, Sean Carroll blew the final whistle to the delight of the Maryland faithful and the despair of the Ballynacargy throngs. It was fitting that McCormack should win the game for his team as he has been the best footballer on show over the two games, playing with a maturity well beyond his 17 years. Kieran Martin, too, was outstanding for the blues as was midfielder David Reynolds before his dismissal. At the back, Maryland were that bit tighter this week, with John Cunningham at full-back and Eoin Farrell at centre-back both prominent. But they owe a great debt to goalie John Murray who kept them in the game with some fabulous saves, and it was their team-work and never-say-die attitude that won them the title. For Bal", young Kieran Sheridan was immense in the full-back line as was Timmy Mescall, while Jason Wallace and John Keena had super games too. Aidan Lyons rolled back the years with a superb display at midfield. But their forwards never hit top gear and apart from Declan McGuinness and cameos from Dwayne Maher and Liam O"Reilly, they never were as potent as heretofore. In the end, Maryland laid claim to the Peter Geraghty Cup through sheer persistence and no one will deny them their day and this saga will long be remembered in the annals of Westmeath GAA history. SCORERS - Maryland: C McCormack 0-4 (2f, 1 "45"); K Martin 1-1; D Martin, T Browne, J Reynolds, J Reilly, A Reynolds and Damien Reynolds 0-1 each. Ballynacargy: D Maher 0-6 (4f); M Loran 1-0; L O"Reilly 0-2 (2f); M Wallace and M Murphy 0-1 each. Maryland: John Murray, Phillip Rainey, John Cunningham, Conor Farrell, Ronan Farrell, Eoin Farrell, Ronan Moran, David Reynolds, David Martin, Thomas Browne, Kieran Martin, James Reynolds, Joe Harte, Callum McCormack, John Reilly. Subs: Trevor Farrell for Moran (9 mins); Anthony Reynolds for Reilly (H/T); John Reilly for Harte (47); Damien Reynolds for D Martin (60); David Martin for T Browne (66); Richie Browne for Reilly (74). Ballynacargy: Richard Price, Jason Wallace, Timmy Mescall, Kieran Sheridan, Aidan Scally, Andrew Heduvan, John Keena, Aidan Lyons, Mark Wallace, Declan McGuinness, Willie Murtagh, Danny Scally, Mark Murphy, Liam O"Reilly, Dwayne Maher. Subs: Micky Loran for D Scally (27 mins); Ger Heduvan for O"Reilly (36); David Doran for Heduvan (52). Referee: Sean Carroll, The Downs.