Late McCabe free settles pulsating senior 'B' final

Fr Dalton's 3-12, Delvin 3-11

AFTER one of the best first halves of hurling you are likely to have seen at any grade in Westmeath this year, followed by an attritional but no less eventful second half, Fr Dalton’s emerged as this year’s SHC ‘B’ champions and the new holders of the Mickey Power Cup at TEG Cusack Park last Saturday afternoon.

Delvin, no strangers to the business end of this competition, are once again the bridesmaids. But apart from feeling aggrieved at a controversial 37th-minute penalty decision, they will have little cause for complaint after failing to get to grips with the game in the second half.

In that period, Fr Dalton’s missed a host of chances and racked up nine wides, and really should have been out of sight by the time Darragh Clinton’s 54th-minute goal – Delvin’s third – put the Valley in the driving seat.

The men in maroon and white trailed by only a point at the interval (2-8 to 2-7) after a memorable first half, but it was the Ballymore men who had the best of the second and arguably deserved their win, though they had to rely on late scores from sub John Gilligan and Owen McCabe (including a stoppage-time free) to prevail.

In a downpour, Eamonn Gallagher’s charges had Delvin on the ropes after two minutes thanks to an early Ronan McLoughlin free and a fortuitous goal from McCabe, whose delicious sideline ball from 30 metres dipped into Stephen Reilly’s net.

In determined fashion, Delvin got out in front of their early misfortune and responded in ideal fashion, with Darragh Clinton doing well to convert a free into the teeth of a wet breeze.

Then, on five minutes, Clinton rose to collect a long ball from Dean Ennis and put Eoin Carolan through on goal. Carolan squared, and Josh Coll stole in to tap the sliothar to the net to make it 1-1 apiece.

By the tenth minute, Fr Dalton’s had regained control of the game, with points from Sam Maxwell (2) and Ivan Smyth answered only by a free from Clinton.

As a scintillating first quarter continued with barely time for a breath, the pendulum swung Delvin’s way again on 11 minutes, when a spectacular inch-perfect pass from Josh Coll picked out Dean Ennis, who rifled to the net. Clinton then tacked on a free, and Delvin led 2-3 to 1-5.

Back came Fr Dalton’s with 1-2 in a six-minute spell. Ronan McLoughlin struck two terrific long-range frees before Owen McCabe set Jack Duncan through on goal on 22 minutes. Though Delvin’s Stephen Reilly blocked down Duncan’s initial shot, the rebound was a gimme, and Dalton’s led by four.

However, it was Noel Boyce’s troops who had the best of the remaining minutes of the half, with Dean Ennis (a lovely score), Alan Cox (after a great interception) and Darragh Clinton (two high-quality frees) all finding the target.

Both sides could have had more goals before the short whistle. A cheeky ball from Duncan set Ivan Smyth through on goal for Dalton’s (24 minutes) but he had to settle for a point after his shot crashed off the crossbar.

Reilly came to the rescue for Delvin to stop what seemed like a certain goal for Enda Kincaid on 29 minutes, and at the other end, Eoin Carolan almost netted a third Delvin goal in stoppage time after latching onto a Josh Coll cross and pulling off an audacious flick.

After the restart, Fr Dalton’s had the best of the opening five minutes but hit three wides in a row, and when Ivan Smyth broke through with the goal at his mercy, Delvin’s Adam Ennis intervened heroically. All the Ballymore men had to show for this work was conceding an equaliser, with Josh Coll obliging for the Valley.

On 36 minutes, Dalton’s got their reward for a spell of sustained pressure when Owen McCabe’s outstretched hurl found Jack Duncan with a forehand pass, and with Delvin’s full back line marked absent, Duncan just had to round Stephen Reilly and tap to the net.

Seconds later, Delvin worked the sliotar down field and had a genuine call for a penalty when Coll was hauled down while looking to claim a high ball. However, referee Matt Shaw waved play on.

Despite dominating play, Fr Dalton’s continued to rack up the wides, with McCabe, Sam Maxwell and Ronan McLoughlin all drawing blanks. But they still led by a goal at the end of the third quarter (3-9 to 2-9), with McCabe and Clinton exchanging frees.

However, Clinton single-handedly dragged Delvin back into pole position at this stage, and by the 52nd minute they were just a point adrift after the Westmeath forward followed up a free with an excellent point from the terrace side.

Then, on 54 minutes, Delvin hit the front when Josh Coll flicked on a long-range pass from Adam Ennis. It fell into the path of Clinton, who lost his grip on his hurl but kicked the sliothar low and hard to the net with his left boot.

Fr Dalton’s trailed 3-11 to 3-9 and continued to mishit, but the introduction of the experienced John Gilligan (56 minutes) preceded a point for the former Westmeath star after his first touch. Owen McCabe then converted a free to level matters, and amid torrential rain, a replay looked on the cards.

But there was still time for someone to win it. Fr Dalton’s looked most likely, and as they attacked in waves, a late ‘65’ from McCabe led to a snapshot from sub Kieran Martin, which was blocked down by Delvin’s Frank McGrath en route to goal.

Then, three minutes into stoppage time, Delvin’s Patrick Clune was – harshly enough – adjudged to have fouled Jack Duncan, and with visibility reduced by the teeming rain, McCabe converted the free to put Fr Dalton’s one point ahead.

At the other end, Delvin countered and won a dramatic late free. Unfortunately for the Valley, the soggy conditions got the better of Darragh Clinton and he pucked to the left and wide, as Dalton’s prevailed. Clinton, incidentally, picked up a red card after the final whistle after confronting referee Matt Shaw while he left the pitch.

At full time, Westmeath GAA chairman Frank Mescall presented the Mickey Power Cup to the Fr Dalton’s captain Eoin Ryan.

Scorers - Fr Dalton’s: O McCabe 1-4 (1-0 s/l, 0-3f), J Duncan 2-0, R McLoughlin 0-3f, S Maxwell and I Smyth 0-2 each, J Gilligan 0-1. Delvin: D Clinton 1-8 (0-7f), J Coll and D Ennis 1-1 each, A Cox 0-1.

Fr Dalton’s: Eoin Moran; Eoin Ryan, Kenneth Kincaid, Liam O’Neill; Ronan Hanley, Brian McCabe, Jack Kearney; Ivan Smyth, Colm O’Roarke; Sam Maxwell, Ciaran Clear, Ronan McLoughlin; Enda Kincaid, Owen McCabe, Jack Duncan. Subs used: Kieran Martin for E Kincaid (h-t), John Tumelty for McLoughlin (39), John Gilligan for Maxwell (56).

Delvin: Stephen Reilly; Patrick Clune, Frank McGrath, Oisín Kelly; Alan Cox, Adam Ennis, Seán Hoctor; Paddy Farrington, Aaron Fenlon; Ciaran Fenlon, Darragh Clinton, Josh Coll; Eoin Carolan, Killian Murphy, Dean Ennis. Subs used: Seb McPherson for Kelly (inj., 49), Ross Gaffney for C Fenlon (50), Enda Newman for Carolan (58).

Ref: Matt Shaw (Clonkill).