No mistake second time round for impressive Castletown side

Castletown Geoghegan 1-27, Lough Lene Gaels 2-17

By Gerry Buckley

Powered by a dominant second half display, Castletown-Geoghegan won their 15th Westmeath senior hurling title with a decisive win over Lough Lene Gaels in a very well-attended TEG Cusack Park last Saturday afternoon.

It is to the great credit of the ground staff at Westmeath GAA headquarters that just six days after the game had been correctly abandoned after a mere 13 minutes, the pitch was in remarkably good condition and befitting a game of its stature.

Patrons, who had the rare treat of free admission given the cancellation the previous Sunday, looked set for a classic at the end of a rip-roaring first moiety – a few poor wides at both ends apart – but Alan Mangan’s well-balanced outfit were undoubtedly the stronger on the change of ends with their quality attackers racking up a huge total for a November fixture.

Understandably, there was no pre-match parade last Saturday – for all the glitz and glamour that the wonderful Mullingar Town Band brings, the parade had been the final straw for the overworked surface six days earlier – but Michaela Hogg did the occasion justice with a fine rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann.

Castletown-Geoghegan, who had trailed by 0-2 to 0-0 when the game was abandoned last Sunday, got off to a great start with David O’Reilly scoring a fine goal in the third minute at the end of a probing delivery by Niall O’Brien. A point exchange ensued between Eoin Daly and Peter Clarke.

A great sideline cut by David Williams and a neat effort from Marcus Kennedy left the deficit at the bare minimum with nine minutes elapsed. Aonghus Clarke and Daly traded quality points before Williams repeated his lineball heroics – and from the other side of the pitch for good measure – leaving the teams level (1-2 to 0-5) at the end of a riveting opening quarter.

A quickfire brace from Conor Murphy and a delightful score from O’Reilly put the 2022 champions three clear, but this was wiped out in the 19th minute when Aaron Kennedy found the net after the referee had allowed an advantage following a foul on Daly. O’Brien opened his account from a 20th-minute free, but rapid-fire points from Shane Williams (who caught the eye throughout) and Tommy Doyle put Joey Williams’ troops ahead for the first time (1-7 to 1-6).

The black and amber-clad men finished the first half the stronger, outscoring their opponents by five points (an O’Brien hat-trick – including his first from play – and one each from Liam Varley and O’Reilly) to two (a Williams free and a fine score from the ‘Jogger’) to lead by 1-11 to 1-9 at the interval.

O’Brien (from open play, just five seconds after play resumed) and Williams (a free) exchanged points by the 32nd minute. Four white flags were then equally shared (Varley and O’Brien free for the winners, and a Williams free and a great score under pressure by Daly for the ‘Yellow Bellies’) leaving the gap still at just two points (1-14 to 1-12) with 39 minutes on the clock.

However, Castletown-Geoghegan looked the better side for most of the time remaining. Outscoring the men in purple and gold by 0-5 (an O’Reilly brace, and one apiece from Murphy, O’Brien and Varley) to 0-2 (a Williams free, and a neat score from sub Derek McNicholas), they were five points clear at the end of the third quarter (1-19 to 1-14). It could have been worse for Lough Lene Gaels had Noel Conaty not prevented Liam Varley from scoring what looked like a certain goal in the 43rd minute.

Despite a triple-substitution by the Gaels’ management in the 47th minute – and some technical problems with the electronic board to go with the changes – the champions-elect increased their advantage to seven points courtesy of scores from Jack Gallagher and O’Brien (a ‘65’), sandwiched between which Conaty pulled off a great double-save from Peter Clarke and O’Brien in the 50th minute.

Lough Lene Gaels refused to throw in the towel and points from Doyle and Shane Williams kept them in touch. After displaying great skill and strength, Doyle was denied a goal by Ciaran O’Brien in the 53rd minute, and there was no way back for the Gaels at this juncture. David Williams, who was held scoreless from play, slotted over a ‘65’, but O’Reilly (a classy score) and O’Brien (a huge free) tagged on Castletown points.

A scramble in the winners’ goalmouth ultimately led to nothing before sub Peter Murphy opened his account. Gaels’ sub Jason Malone found the net on the hour mark to leave the deficit at four points (1-24 to 2-17), but Castletown-Geoghegan wrapped up their win with unanswered points in injury-time from Gallagher, O’Brien (a free), and Peter Murphy.

After the match, Frank Mescall, chairman of the Westmeath GAA County Committee, presented the brand new Westmeath Examiner Cup to a worthy recipient in Aonghus Clarke, who went on to deliver a very comprehensive and magnanimous speech, with David O’Reilly unsurprisingly picking up the ‘man of the match’ award. The chairman paid tribute to the Westmeath Examiner for their continued support of the senior hurling champions which dates back to 1950 and sports editor Damien Maher was invited to the podium for the presentation of the new cup.

Scorers – Castletown-Geoghegan: N O’Brien 0-10 (5f, 1‘65’), D O’Reilly 1-5, C Murphy, L Varley 0-3 each, J Gallagher, P Murphy 0-2 each, P Clarke, A Clarke 0-1 each.

Lough Lene Gaels: D Williams 0-7 (4f, 2s/l,1‘65’), A Kennedy, J Malone 1-0 each, E Daly, T Doyle 0-3, S Williams 0-2, M Kennedy, D McNicholas 0-1 each.

Castletown-Geoghegan: Ciaran O’Brien; Naoise McKenna, Aaron Glennon, David Maloney; Johnny Bermingham, Jack Murphy, Morgan Gavigan; Peter Clarke, Shane Clavin; Conor Murphy, Aonghus Clarke, Liam Varley; David O’Reilly, Niall O’Brien, Jack Gallagher. Subs used: Peter Murphy for Varley (51), David Fennell for Bermingham (55), Mick Heeney for C Murphy (60+2), Conor Lynch for Gallagher (60+4).

Lough Lene Gaels: Noel Conaty; Daire Daly, Dan Higgins, Dan Reilly; Philip Reilly, Daragh Qamar, Shane Williams; Brendan Doyle, Micheal Daly; Tommy Doyle, David Williams, Eoin Daly; Marcus Kennedy, Warren Williams, Aaron Kennedy. Subs used: Derek McNicholas for W Williams (h-t), Jason Malone for B Doyle (47), John Egan for D Reilly (47), Jordan Williams for E Daly (inj., 47).

Ref: Barry Kelly (St Oliver Plunkett’s).