Geary and Dowd show the way for Southern Gaels

Southern Gaels 0-18 Turin 0-16

By John Dingle

The Championship season started for Southern Gaels with victory over Turin in Ballymore last Saturday evening. There was little between the teams throughout with both enjoying spells of dominance in an entertaining Westmeath IHC opening round fixture. Just two points separated the teams at half-time and the margin was to remain the same after an evenly contested second half.

Southern Gaels opened the scoring with just 25 seconds played with a point from Sean Dowd as a free from Chulainn Dowd then doubled the lead. Turin were soon on level terms though as a point from play and then a free from Ray Aughey restored parity.

The green flag was not raised over the hour but Sean Murphy had a goal bound strike brilliantly saved by Turin goalkeeper Eoin Aughey as the Gaels looked to take an early advantage. Another free from Chulainn Dowd edged the Athlone team back in front but Ray Aughey continued with his rich vein of form to make it three points apiece after eight minutes.

John Martin restored the Gaels' lead but once more Turin responded with Christopher Sleator firing over. A free from Ray Aughey after 12 minutes pushed Turin ahead for the first time but they were not to raise another flag for over ten minutes as Southern Gaels fired over five unanswered points. John Martin levelled matters while four points from Chulainn Dowd, two from frees, then put the Gaels into a four point lead, 0-9 to 0-

Another great block from goalkeeper Aughey to again deny Murphy inspired Turin who then reduced the deficit to the bare minimum with three unanswered points in a five minute spell before the break. A point and a free from Ray Aughey together with a point from Ciaran Kiernan left it at 0-9 to 0-8 but the last score of the half left two points between the teams at half-time, with a stoppage time free from Chulainn Dowd ending the action in the opening half.

Southern Gaels had been more consistent with their scoring but Turin made light of going 13 minutes without raising a flag to be still very much in contention once play resumed.

Turin reduced the deficit to the bare minimum with the first score of the second half when Ray Aughey was again successful with a free. However, another barren spell without scoring proved costly as Southern Gaels took advantage on the scoreboard. Those barren spells in both halves ultimately brought about their downfall.

In contrast, five unanswered points had Tony O’Keeffe’s men ahead by six with ten minutes gone. Three fantastic long range efforts from Cian Geary in the half back line were the highlights as John Martin and Murphy also weighed in with points.

Turin were not finished though and were just a goal behind heading into the last quarter. Another Ray Aughey successful free and points from Kiernan and Danny McGrath left it 0-15 to 0-12 with a grandstand finish now in prospect. Both teams swapped points as the Gaels two-point lead at half-time proved sufficient for victory at the end.

Turin outscored Southern Gaels in the last quarter but could not get close enough. Points from Diarmuid Martin and Chulainn Dowd stretched the lead to five as the game headed into the last ten minutes of play. Sleator and Chulainn Dowd then exchanged scores but Dowd's point after 21 minutes of the half proved to be the Athlone side's last of the contest.

A point from play by Craig Neville and then a successful 65’ strike from Ray Aughey left it 0-18 to 0-15. Southern Gaels could have made the closing stages more comfortable had substitute Evan Farrell found the net with three minutes remaining but again Turin keeper Aughey made a great block on the goal bound strike. The boys in red kept going right to the end but fell just short of earning a share of the spoils. Danny McGrath completed the scoring with a point after 57 minutes to leave just two between the teams but the Gaels held on during added time to open their championship campaign with a victory, 0-18 to 0-16.

Turin had come close and can look back on a number of bad wides in the second half with regret. On the other hand, they also had their goalkeeper to thank for keeping them in contention with a series of fine blocks. Chulainn Dowd and Ray Aughey ended as joint top scorers, just shy of being in double figures, with the majority of their scores coming from frees.

SCORERS - Southern Gaels: C Dowd 0-9 (5 frees); C Geary and J Martin 0-3 each; S Dowd, S Murphy and D Martin 0-1 each. Turin: R Aughey 0-9 (0-5f, 1 65’); C Kiernan, C Sleator and Danny McGrath 0-2 each; C Neville 0-1.

SOUTHERN GAELS: Conn O’Hara, Shane Galvin, Kieran Duncan, Jonathan Keogh, Dermot Treacy, Eamon Martin, Maurice Fitzgerald, Sean Dowd, Paul Hogan, Cian McCarthy, Diarmuid Martin, Chulainn Dowd, Sean Murphy, John Martin, Cian Geary. Subs used: Evan Farrell and Kevin Dolan for Fitzgerald and Hogan (47 mins); Eoin Hardiman for J Martin (56); Luke Whelan for Treacy (59).

TURIN: Eoin Aughey, Sean Scally, Derek Hourihane, David McGrath, Oisín L’Estrange, Sean Leech, Jack Penrose, Declan McGrath, Craig Neville, Ray Aughey, David Aughey, Ciaran Kiernan, Christopher Sleator, Alan Aughey, Danny McGrath.

REFEREE: Gary Hurley (Moate).