Castletown ease past disappointing challenge from Castlepollard side

Castletown Geoghegan 3-27, Castlepollard 0-16

By Gerry Buckley

A power-packed display in the second half by Castletown-Geoghegan which saw them outscoring Castlepollard by an 18-point margin in TEG Cusack Park last Sunday afternoon comfortably propelled the winners to the knockout stages in the race for the Westmeath Examiner Cup.

Any slim hopes that the men in blue and gold had of progressing is now over, albeit they seem certain to retain their place at the top table of Westmeath hurling for 2025. In a nutshell, they were outclassed in the second moiety by a side not even at full strength. On this evidence, it will take a formidable outfit to prevent black and amber ribbons being placed on the blue riband club trophy of the small ball game in the Lake County next month.

Castlepollard had the aid of a slight wind blowing towards the Dunnes Stores end of the ground, and they opened the scoring after a mere 12 seconds courtesy of the very promising Darragh McCormack. Niall O’Brien quickly nudged Castletown in front with a brace of converted frees.

McCormack was wide with a goal as his target before the respective number 10s, John McCarthy (a free) and Conor Murphy (open play), traded white flags.

Another McCarthy free and an opportunist point from Brian Gilchrist edged the side under the tutelage of Seamus Sheridan and Johnny Murray ahead. Two classy O’Brien points at the other end regained the lead for the winners, but McCarthy soon levelled the scoring (0-5 apiece) from a long-range free in the 13th minute.

A minute later, a Jack Gallagher point attempt dropped short and an alert O’Brien was on hand to scoop the ball nonchalantly into an unguarded net. Gallagher and Liam Varley (in acres of space) added points before McCarthy (open play) and O’Brien swapped points.

Three unanswered points for ‘Pollard from the sticks of McCarthy (two frees) and McCormack (a great score from play) reduced the gap to two points (1-8 to 0-9) with 25 minutes on the clock. Aonghus Clarke and Colm Dermody then exchanged points.

A skirmish near the Castletown goalmouth resulted in straight red cards for Aaron Glennon and Eoin English towards the end of normal time. Point exchanges ensued between O’Brien and McCarthy (a free), and O’Brien (a free) and McCormack (a quality score). This left the scoreboard at half-time reading: Castletown-Geoghegan 1-11, Castlepollard 0-12.

The second half started with the unusual sight of Oisín Gaffney having to put his helmet on before the game recommenced. Remarkably, the hitherto-reliable McCarthy missed what looked like a routine free less than a minute after play recommenced. O’Brien pointed a free at the other end before his colleague Varley was denied a goal at the expense of a ‘65’ which O’Brien converted. In the 39th minute, a Johnny Bermingham delivery wasn’t dealt with by the losers’ defence and Gallagher was gifted a goal. When Murphy (a fine solo effort) and O’Brien (a free) tagged on further points, Castletown-Geoghegan led by 2-15 to 0-12 after 41 minutes.

A classy overhead point from McCormack followed for Castlepollard. Gallagher pointed for the winners after his initial goal attempt had been blocked. Darragh Tierney (a scooped effort after fabulous approach work by McCormack) and sub Cormac Jackson traded points, as did Varley and McCarthy (a routine free). Alan Mangan’s troops added four points from the sticks of Clarke, Gallagher, Varley and O’Brien (a huge free).

Varley was denied a goal by a fine save from Sean Dermody in the 55th minute, but the Castletown men still tagged on three further points via O’Brien, Jackson (with a goal as his target), and Clarke.

McCormack again showed his class with a sublime sideline cut, but this was Castlepollard’s last score of the contest on the hour mark. Their opponents sealed an impressive win with a goal from O’Brien (at the end of a great move in the first minute of added-time), and points from Varley and Jackson.

Scorers – Castletown-Geoghegan: N O’Brien 2-12 (0-7f, 0-1‘65’), J Gallagher 1-3, L Varley 0-4, A Clarke, C Jackson 0-3 each, C Murphy 0-2.

Castlepollard: J McCarthy 0-8 (7f), D McCormack 0-5 (1s/l), C Dermody, D Tierney, B Gilchrist 0-1 each.

Castletown-Geoghegan: Ciaran O’Brien; David Maloney, Aaron Glennon, Naoise McKenna; Johnny Bermingham, Jack Murphy, Morgan Gavigan; Shane Clavin, David Fennell; Conor Murphy, Aonghus Clarke, Liam Varley; Peter Murphy, Niall O’Brien, Jack Gallagher. Subs used: Cormac Jackson for P Murphy (43), Mick Heeney for C Murphy (54).

Castlepollard: Sean Dermody; Sean Lancaster, Darragh Reilly, Oisín Gaffney; Ben Murphy, Conor Gaffney, Paul Dermody; Alex McCormack, Colm Dermody; John McCarthy, Darragh McCormack, Joe Rabbitt; Darragh Tierney, Eoin English, Brian Gilchrist. Subs used: Conor Sheridan for Murphy (43), Luke Roddy for Tierney (52), Ciaran English for Rabbitt (59).

Ref: James McGrath (Turin).

Footnote. Prior to the throw-in, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of the late Ann Gallagher from Castlepollard who died last week.