Southern Gaels prop up table after second defeat in a row

Southern Gaels were left rooted to the bottom of the group table in the Westmeath IHC following this defeat to a better-balanced Cullion side at Cusack Park last Sunday week. The Athlone side lost heavily to Delvin in their opening round match, and this defeat means they have no points from two games. Perhaps it was the lazy bank holiday feeling which prevailed in Mullingar on a scorching summer"s evening but the tiny attendance in GAA headquarters were treated to very poor fare, with a total lack of championship atmosphere evident from first whistle to last. However, this won"t bother Cullion who garnered an important win which keeps them very much in the shake-up for honours. For their part, Southern Gaels are to be commended for a wholehearted effort, despite negligible backing support on the day. Cullion"s complacency saw them spurn a number of good opportunities and it took Damien Golden"s sixth-minute point from 50 metres to settle their nerves. The maroon and whites were clearly the more accomplished of the two teams in the early exchanges, but they were almost caught napping by a snap-shot from Frank Kelly. A "65" resulted and former Westmeath senior panellist, Tony O"Keeffe duly converted the placed ball. Both sides wasted chances but Cullion eventually took control and they rattled off six unanswered points in an 11-minute spell to open up a significant lead by the 26th minute. The first came from corner forward Derek Kerrigan, whose post-score urgings still failed to ignite a muted crowd. Much of the winners" best hurling involved Tommy Gillen and he got his own name on the scoresheet with a pointed free from 45 metres in the 18th minute. A goalmouth scramble ended with Derek Kerrigan whipping the sliotar narrowly wide, before Tony O"Keeffe surprisingly elected to go for a goal from a 35-metre free, but Jim Baker pulled off a fine save. Four rapid-fire points ensued for the winners - a wonderful long-range effort from Tommy Gillen; a neat score from 45 metres by Jimmy Corcoran; another from Derek Kerrigan and a converted free from Gillen. An opportunist score by Tony O"Keeffe stopped the rot somewhat but a dominant Cullion side finished the first moiety with another brace of points from Damien golden (a sublime score from a tight angle) and a Tommy Gillen "65" (resulting from a fine save by Alan Kennedy from Jimmy White). This left Cullion firmly in control when leading by 0-9 to 0-2 at the break. A converted free within 45 seconds of the resumption of play by Tony O"Keeffe reduced the deficit. However, the goal which Cullion had been threatening to score for some time eventually arrived in the third minute, Vincent Conneely getting the deftest of touches to Jimmy Corcoran"s delivery to guide the sliotar into the net. The wides continued to mount for the winners but, in truth, the Athlone men never seriously threatened to avail of this profligacy. Colman Gantley chipped in with a fine point in the 11th minute but the winners responded with two quick-fire points from the sticks of veteran substitute Robbie Galvin and midfielder Jimmy Corcoran. Donal Duane rifled over a wonderful point for the losers and well-taken points were then exchanged by Damien Golden and Colman Gantley, leaving Cullion nine points to the good in the 20th minute. Southern Gaels got a lifeline in the 23rd minute when Tony O"Keeffe buried a 30-metre free and a great point from substitute Graham Corcoran then left the deficit at five points. Play continued to be very scrappy before Cullion wrapped up the contest with two scores in the dying moments of normal time. Robbie Galvin used his experience to fire over a point, and his fellow-substitute Danny Bourke closed the scoring with a close-range pull which gave Alan Kennedy no chance. Cullion: Jim Baker; Stephen Bourke, Stephen Earley, Kevin Reynolds; James Corcoran, Stephen Corroon, Paul Reynolds; Jimmy Corcoran (0-2), Mark Kane; James Clarke, Tommy Gillen (0-4, 2f, 0-1 "65"), Damien Golden (0-3); Derek Kerrigan (0-2), Jimmy White, Vincent Conneely (1-0). Subs: Robbie Galvin (0-2) for Clarke (39 mins), Ralph Kelleghan for Kerrigan (42), Danny Bourke (1-0) for Conneely (51), Pio Kelleghan for Golden (59). Southern Gaels: Alan Kennedy; Declan Finn, James Kilroy, Michael O"Connell; Pat Flynn, Ciaran Duncan, Conor Foley; David Johnson, Donal Duane (0-1); Colman Gantley (0-2), Tony O"Keeffe (1-3, 1-1f, 0-1 "65"), Ronan Farrell; Michael Larkin, Tommy Murphy, Frank Kelly. Subs: Darragh Lennon for Larkin (39 mins), Graham Corcoran (0-1) for Kelly (42), Brendan Kehoe for Murphy (45), Paul Kehoe for Farrell (51). Referee: Michael Riggs (Raharney).