Caulry keep momentum going with second win

Caulry 0-11, Killucan 0-8

The second of the double header at Shandonagh on Saturday evening lasat saw Caulry and Killucan go head-to-head in virtual monsoon-like conditions that made any sort of quality football obsolete, in round three of the Westmeath SFC.

That being said, both teams performed admirably in the miserable, constant downpour and are to be commended for giving us any sort of a game at all, with the result in the balance right up to the latter part of the final quarter.

Caulry just simply converted their chances better and not for the first time in this year’s championship, Killucan left far too many scorable opportunities behind them. And that in essence was the tale of this game with the Reds now looking upwards at a quarter-final, while for the Saffrons that opportunity seems to have passed them by for 2023.

Scores were at a premium throughout and Caulry managed to grind out the win with better finishing, even if the three-point win flatters them slightly, but there was no doubting they just about were the better side.

The early stages of this game were hard to watch in truth with driving rain and heavy conditions making it very tough to play any sort of cohesive football, but Senan Baker opened the scoring with a free only for Cormac Boyle to level with a well-taken and converted mark. Devin Hill put the Saffrons ahead with a placed ball. Baker restored parity after a defensive Killucan blunder and then added another free as Caulry finished the opening quarter in front.

Aron Kiernan levelled again for Killucan, but Paddy Sleator restored Caulry's advantage after a flowing team move. The game was end-to-end at this stage and Eamonn Cunneen levelled for Killucan after an excellently constructed move. Hill soon put the Saffrons ahead after another fine team move was converted expertly.

Westmeath star Conor McCormack had entered the fray on 24 minutes and his first action saw him level again with a super score. And Sean Murphy put the Mount Temple men ahead again as the game ebbed and flowed, much like the prevailing rain.

Killucan made one late rally before the break and after Sean Leech levelled with a patient point, a Devin Hill free on the stroke of half -ime saw Killucan lead by 0-7 to 0-6 at the short whistle.

As conditions deteriorated, the game became more fractured and scores were certainly at a premium until another softly conceded free saw Baker level matters again. Hill put the Saffrons back ahead with another placed ball on 43 minutes, but it turned out to be Killucan's last score of the game.

Both sides were struggling for any sort of cohesion at this stage and the game suffered as a whole, with quality football at a premium and defences definitely on top. Baker remained prominent and levelled with a quarter to go. Killucan wasted some really good chances thereafter, while Caulry seemed to up their game enough to gain the lead again when the impressive McCormack added his second to put them ahead.

This time Killucan had no response and the Reds finished with a wet sail as Senan Baker pointed superbly under serious pressure to increase the advantage. McCormack won and pointed a free in the dying embers to give a rather flattering slant to the result, while a late second yellow and red for Killucan's Aron Kiernan merely showed the level of frustration that they were experiencing, especially with the second half display. Caulry ran out three-point winners in the end of what was a fairly mediocre affair.

Man of the match: Stephen Connolly (Caulry). Cormac Boyle, Eoin Keyes and Sam Smith were best for Killucan, while Kevin Maguire, Sean Fox, Senan Baker and substitute Conor McCormack shone for the winners, but Stephen Connolly was consistent throughout and just gets the accolade.

Scorers - Caulry: Senan Baker 0-6 (4 frees), Conor McCormack 0-3 (1 free), Paddy Sleator and Sean Murphy 0-1 each. Killucan: Devin Hill 0-4 (3 frees), Cormac Boyle, Eamonn Cunneen, Aron Kiernan (free) and Sean Leech 0-1 each.

Caulry: Jack Connaughton, Eoin Shortall, Kevin Maguire, Dylan Lowry, Tadgh Baker, Damian Dolan, Sean Fox, Stephen Connolly, Sean Doyle, Ben Moran, Paddy Sleator, Sean Murphy, Aaron Rourke, Senan Baker and Tiarnan O’Donovan. Subs: Conor McCormack for Rourke (24 mins), Colin Murphy for Doyle (35 mins), Harry Stuart Trainor for Dolan (59 mins).

Killucan: David Bryan, Andrew Flood, Sam Smith, Luke Darby, Cormac Boyle, Robbie Greville, Eamonn Cunneen, Rory Keyes, Aron Kiernan, Jason Gorman, Sean Leech, Eoghan Ahearne, Darren Finn, Eoin Keyes and Devin Hill. Subs: Gary Greville for Ahearne (40 mins), Sami Clarke for Finn (43 mins), Michael Doherty for Gorman (56 mins).

Referee: Barry Pierce (St Mary's, Rochfortbridge).