Garrycastle show no mercy
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Garrycastle 1-13 Castledaly 0-3.
ONE would only have to look at the subs bench on Sunday afternoon and see who wasn't in the Garrycastle starting fifteen to realise what a talented pool of players they have. Apart from the playing panel there are those that are nursing injuries hoping to be considered for a place in the starting fifteen with the knockout stages approaching and it is here the real competition lies in the club.
On the field Alan' Dollar' Daly seems to have discovered a new lease of life and on Sunday he left his calling card as he drove past the Castledaly goalkeeper a week after sending over five points against St Malachys. Shane Mulvihill left the field of play after picking up a facial injury and Paddy Mulvihill replaced with the former claiming he felt he had broken a bone. Garrycastle's defence was very tight and both John Gaffey and James Dolan produced fine performances, and either of the two could have been named man of the match. Rory McGowan missed last year's campaign but has re-established himself in the left half forward position where he sent over three fine points from play.
Dessie Dolan walks up the aisle on Thursday and on Sunday he converted three frees and three points from play while James Duignan and Seanie O'Donoghue ruled midfield.
Recent contests between those sides have been close in recent years with Castledaly coming out on top in the 2008 final and Garrycastle gained the upper hand when these sides met in the championship last year. It is clear that Derek Heavin is sorely missed and the team are struggling without him despite playing out a draw with Mullingar Shamrocks a week earlier.
While Garrycastle held on to their starting fifteen, Castledaly moved Michael Galvin from the right corner back position to the left with Enda Kelly moving to the vacant corner. Niall Duffy moved from midfield to centre forward with Russell Casey partnering Gordon Duffy at midfield. MJ McLoughlin moved to full forward from centre forward with Alan Stone moving from left half forward to left full forward.
The 2008 champions would needless to say be very disappointed with their performance finding just a single point after twelve minutes of the first half, a point thirty-five seconds after half time and a third and final score with seven minutes remaining.
Garrycastle played against a strong breeze into the town end of the ground registering a Dessie Dolan point from play after thirty seconds. Castledaly had the chance to equalise when Alan Stone played the ball into Niall O'Neill who was fouled but MJ McLoughlin would have been disappointed as his free kick chose the wrong side of the post from twenty meters. Perhaps it was a sign that it was not going to be Castledaly's day. James Dolan at left half back made a number of fine runs downfield causing havoc for the Castledaly defence. He twice played the one-two with cousin Dessie before setting up Rory McGowan to double the advantage. John Gaffey too made a number of fine runs down the left wing from his position at right full back.
A Castledaly fight back was expected after Niall Duffy ran down the middle and planted the ball over the bar, but Garrycastle would hit back with three points in as many minutes.
As the first quarter drew to a close Dessie Dolan ran down the right wing and split the posts and followed up with a free after Alan 'Dollar' Daly was fouled. With eight minutes of normal time remaining in the half Rory McGowan had his second from play. Dessie Dolan had the last score of the half after Paddy Mulvihill was brought down and Castledaly introduced Adrian Kelly into the half back line for Stephen Kavanagh as the scoreboard registered 0-6 to 0-1 at the interval. Thirty-five seconds after the restart Castledaly opened with an MJ McLoughlin point from play. However the score of the game had to have come when John Gaffey took a ball down the field and sent it into the arms of the waiting Dessie Dolan. The latter saw Doran Harte available and Gaffey was free once more on the left to send the ball between the posts.
James Dolan was having a day in the sun as he gave the pass to Dessie who sought out Seanie O'Donoghue and the younger Dolan was available once more and Seanie O'Donoghue finished the move with a well-taken point. Before the minute was up Paul Dillon had added a point. Paddy Mulvihill set up Alan Daly who went for a goal but Justin Coughlin in the Castledaly goal stopped his low ball in.
James Dolan sent a long ball down to Alan Daly who went one on one with the Castledaly goalkeeper crashing the ball to the net with the game in the first minute of the final quarter. Castledaly needed something soon and Dessie Dolan who had gone back to defend caught a ball in the Garrycastle goalmouth, when they applied the pressure. Patrick Holloway went close but drove to the wrong side of the post and when Alan Fitzgerald went for goal his effort came off the ankle of the goalkeeper Cathal Mullen, and Eoin Flemming shot across the mouth of the goal but there was no one to help it across.
Dessie Dolan added two more points; the first from a free and with seven minutes remaining Alan Fitzgerald had Castledaly's last score of the game. Garrycastle went in search of a second goal but Paddy Mulvihill could find no way past Justin Coughlin. With three minutes remaining and his job done Dessie Dolan made way for John O'Shaughnessy leaving James Duignan on free taking duties. He converted a free from a very difficult angle out on the left wing and Paul Dillon would win the kick out before sending over the winning point with a minute and a half remaining.
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