Maryland suffer second setback as Killucan advance

Killucan maintained their push for a knockout place in this year's Westmeath senior football championship with an impressive ten-point win over a disappointing Maryland outfit at Cusack Park on Sunday evening last. Dermot Brady's charges now top Group One on scoring difference from Athlone, but the result between the teams in the last round of games will determine who tops the group. For their part, Maryland remain in contention for the business end of the Flanagan Cup, despite this undoubted setback. With Paul Greville maintaining his fine scoring form in the saffron and whites' attack, Killucan look set to trouble the best of defences this autumn. Maryland took the lead in the third minute, courtesy of a 25-metre free from David Martin. After the winners came close to finding the net at the other end, Paul Greville opened their account from a routine free. The blue and whites looked the livelier of the sides at this juncture but were unable to convert possession into scores. Joe Harte and Cormac Boyle then traded fine points from play and a brace of unanswered points from Harte and David Martin (a well-judged free) had Maryland ahead by 0-4 to 0-2 by the 19th minute. The latter player should have increased the losers' advantage from play, but he hit the post from a great position. A converted free from 40 metres from Paul Greville halved the deficit before Anthony Doyle and Darren Malynn spurned good chances at either end. Christopher Leech soon moved forward from defence to equalise with a neat point. The winners then got a lucky break in the second last minute of normal time when an untypically-weak shot from Paul Greville was fumbled by Maryland netminder Tom Moran and the umpires immediately ruled that the ball had crossed the line. Deep into added-time, Joe Harte kicked a great left-footed free from a tight angle, but he was unable to replicate this from further out in the last action of the first moiety, at the end of which Killucan led by 1-4 to 0-5. Within 40 seconds of the resumption of play, Christopher Leech struck for his second point of the contest. A half-chance of a Maryland goal was not availed of at the other end and Paul Greville made the most of this with another fine point for Killucan, following a great catch by Conor Jordan. Further points soon followed from the boots of Padraig Leavy and James Nugent, with Maryland opening their second-half account in the tenth minute with a very well-taken point from full-forward John Reilly. Paul Greville then teed up Rory O'Reilly for a neat point, but Joe Harte responded quickly with a great left-footed free. In the 13th minute, a breaking ball fell kindly for Paul Greville who seemed certain to find the net, but his low shot whizzed past the post. The latter player compensated somewhat with a lovely composed point and Padraig Leavy opened a seven-point gap with a terrific free from the ground from near the stand sideline. Callum McCormack got his name on the scoresheet with a tidy left-footed point, but another fine delivery from Conor Jordan set up Paul Greville for an outstanding score for the winners. At the other end, Francis Boyle showed his prowess with a great piece of fielding before Cormac Boyle chipped in with his second point of the evening. Callum McCormack soon completed his brace from a tight angle. Sandwiched between two fisted efforts wide of the target from returning substitute Brian Smyth, Killucan wrapped up the points in style, Paul Greville's flick setting up James Nugent who buried the ball past Tom Moran for a fine goal. The rest of the game was uneventful with Brian Smyth coming closest to scoring for the comfortable winners. KILLUCAN: David Bryan; Johnny Greville, Francis Boyle, Stephen Morley; Christopher Leech (0-2), John Shaw, Mark Dunne; Conor Jordan, Padraig Leavy (0-2, 1 free); Cormac Boyle (0-2), James Nugent (1-1), Rory O'Reilly (0-1); Anthony Doyle, Paul Greville (1-5, 0-2 frees), Brendan McKeogh. Subs: Shane Leavy (for J.Greville, 43 mins), Brian Smyth (for Dunne, 53), Donie Carey (for Boyle, 58), Paul Briody (for McKeogh, 60), Chris Canning (for Nugent, 60 + 3). MARYLAND: Tom Moran; Christy Grimes, Eoin Farrell, Trevor Farrell; Darren Malynn, John Cunningham, Aidan Reynolds; David Martin (0-2, both from frees), Liam Reilly; James Reynolds, Kieran Martin, Ronan Moran; Joe Harte (0-4, 0-2 from frees), John Reilly (0-1), Callum McCormack (0-2). Subs: Anthony Reynolds (for Moran, inj, 26 mins), Tom Browne (for Reilly, 47 ), Enda Kincaid (for Malynn, 47), James Ganley (for Grimes, 58 ). REFEREE: Sean Sheridan (Tyrrellspass).