Impressive first half performance lays the platform for Fr Dalton’s victory

Fr Dalton's 1-19

Castletown Geoghegan 1-12

Gritty Fr Dalton’s withstood a strong fight back from Castletown Geoghegan to claim honours in the All County Hurling League Division 2 final, at TEG Cusack Park on Friday evening.

The Ballymore side got the weekend off to a great start with a richly deserved seven-point victory having dominated for long spells. They scored an unanswered 1-6 to lead by seven points at the interval (1-10 to 0-6) and pushed 10 clear early in the second half when wing back Jack Kearney fired over a fine point; while a rejuvenated Castletown Geoghegan side rallied to reduce the deficit to five points by the 55th minute, it wasn’t enough to alter the outcome.

Afterwards, a very satisfied Brian Finerty accepted the cup from County Committee chairman, Frank Mescall and Fr Dalton’s could celebrate a significant victory. Under the guidance of former Castletown Geoghegan, St Brigid’s and Westmeath manager, Eamonn Gallagher, they will be determined to make an impact in the senior ‘A’ championship a right rattle when the action gets underway in the coming weeks, although the standard will be higher.

Victory completed a memorable week as the Ballymore footballers won the Division 7 league title three days earlier.

SCRAMBLE

Conditions were dry and clammy to begin with, but the players had to contend with rain as the game progressed, such was the humid nature of the evening. Ironically, it was Castletown Geoghegan who made the more efficient start to this final, with three of the first four scores.

Midfielder Cian Gavigan gave the black and ambers the lead with an early point, while Peter Murphy doubled that advantage when he converted his first free. Enda Kincaid replied with his first score of the evening for Fr Dalton’s after three minutes, but they fell 0-3 to 0-1 behind when Murphy slotted over another free.

Then came an unanswered 1-6 from the Ballymore men: Brian Finerty’s converted free (the ball moved forward for dissent) reduced the leeway and the winning captain soon slotted over a ‘65’ after a goal mouth scramble. Owen McCabe had been initially hooked, while Finerty played the ball back into the danger area where Enda Kincaid’s effort was deflected out of play.

McCabe saw his whipped effort flash wide in the 12th minute as Fr Dalton’s came raiding once more. They took the lead for the first time a minute later when Ivan Smyth and Enda Kincaid carved an opening for John Gilligan to point. That was their cue to kick on and they never looked back, establishing a seven-point advantage (1-7 to 0-3) by the 23rd minute.

Sean Keena fired over a point from play and a Finerty free left Fr Dalton’s leading by double scores. Smyth found Enda Kincaid, who shot over a tidy score on 20 minutes and then came the opening goal: Sean Keena played a long ball inside and Owen McCabe did well to claim it in the air before drilling a fine shot to the net with a powerful strike.

A beleaguered Castletown Geoghegan side tried to respond and Murphy converted a free for what was their first score in 20 minutes. The corner forward followed with another placed ball, but a point from Finerty broke their momentum. Eoin Kiernan slotted over from play for the black and ambers, but the final two scores of the half went to Fr Dalton’s, both courtesy of Enda Kincaid (the first following a clever reverse pass from Finerty and the second when Owen McCabe’s initial effort had been blocked by opposing ‘keeper Eoin Glennon).

CHANGES

The Fr Dalton’s onslaught showed no signs of abating after the break, with Enda Kincaid firing over a neat score after 90 seconds. He followed that with another minor and then midfielder Sam Maxwell sent wing back, Jack Kearney clear to score a fine point.

A terrific strike from Peter Murphy (free) from all of 70 metres narrowed the gap, but Fr Dalton’s kept the score board ticking over as Sean Keena pointed. Castletown Geoghegan wrung the changes, using all five subs by the three-quarter stage and it certainly had an impact.

Murphy’s free-taking continued to impress and he shot over from a tricky position near the sideline. He then converted another placed ball before taking a fine pass from Morgan Gavigan and notching a point from play. They had clear momentum now and Sean Jackson soon got a nice score from play, while Murphy’s free made it 1-14 to 0-12.

That was four unanswered points for the Castletown Geoghegan men, but one felt they needed a goal to make serious inroads. When Sam Maxwell set up Gilligan for a 58th minute point from play for Fr Dalton’s, it had all the hallmarks of an insurance score.

Four further points followed from Sam Maxwell, Ivan Smyth (two) and Finerty (free) as the Ballymore side re-established a 10-point cushion.

Castletown Geoghegan had one final throw of the dice as they pursued that hitherto elusive goal and it eventually came in the third minute of added time when Murphy drilled a free to the net, through a crowd of defenders. Alas, it was mere consolation and it was Fr Dalton’s who collected the prize.

Scorers – Fr Dalton’s: E Kincaid 0-6, B Finerty 0-5 (3f; 1 ‘65’), O McCabe 1-0, J Gilligan, S Keena and I Smyth 0-2 each, J Kearney and S Maxwell 0-1 each.

Castletown Geoghegan: P Murphy 1-9 (1-8f), E Kiernan, C Gavigan and S Jackson 0-1 each.

Fr Dalton’s: Eoin Moran; Liam O’Neill, Brian McCabe, Ronan Hanley; Jack Kearney, Ciaran Clear, Luke Smyth; Sean Keena, Sam Maxwell; Conor Gibney, John Gilligan, Ivan Smyth; Owen McCabe, Brian Finerty, Enda Kincaid. Sub: Eoin Ryan for Smyth (h-t).

Castletown Geoghegan: Eoin Glennon; Paul O’Sullivan, Paddy Doran, Peter Dalton; Mikey Lynam, Ciaran O’Brien, Fergal O’Brien; Eoin Kiernan, Cian Gavigan; Odhrán Gavigan, Cormac Jackson, Sean Jackson; Dean Slevin, Andy Conway, Peter Murphy. Subs: Conor Murphy for P Doran (h-t), David Maloney for C O’Brien (h-t), Morgan Gavigan for F O’Brien (h-t), Shane Doran for Dalton (45), Neal Kirby for C Jackson (45).

Ref: Alfie Devine (Castlepollard).

Examiner's Eye on the game

Man of The Match

Enda Kincaid (Fr Dalton’s): The lively corner forward shot six points from play and contributed greatly to the cause, as did Jack Kearney, Sean Keena, Sam Maxwell, Owen McCabe and Brian Finerty. There’s a strong case to be made for Castletown Geoghegan’s Peter Murphy, who scored a whopping 1-9 (all bar one from placed balls).

Score of the match

Owen McCabe’s first half goal: the corner forward won the ball in the air, following Sean Keena’s delivery, and sent a powerful shot to the net.

Talking point

How serious does a challenge need to be to incur a red card in hurling? Sean Jackson was unceremoniously taken out of it with what looked very like a dangerous challenge in the 55th minute as Castletown Geoghegan went in search of a goal, but just a yellow card was shown.