Castletown deny Southern Gaels with second half storm

Westmeath Division 3 Hurling League final: Castletown Geoghegan 1-19, Southern Gaels 2-11

Paul Doolin reports

On a very overcast and unseasonally cold Friday evening last in TEG Cusack Park, Castletown Geoghegan took the honours in the first league final played in over three years.

In a sparsely attended Westmeath GAA headquarters, it was the experience and indeed the bench of the men in black and amber that told most, and every time that the men from Shannonside looked to be making a comeback, Castletown lifted their game and in truth, were good value for their five-point win. Meanwhile for the Gaels, it’s a matter of might-have-beens.

Far too many wides and poor shot selection cost the Athlone side dearly, and the concession of needless frees were punished by Castletown. Despite many times being within reaching distance of the title, the Gaels pressed the self-destruct button on numerous occasions, but will be happy with how competitive they were as they head into championship season.

For Castletown, it’s another trophy in the cupboard as they ultimately strive for the big prize of the Westmeath Examiner Cup and the senior title.

Castletown started with the opening three points from Conal Fagan, Eamonn Martin and a Conor Lynch free but the Gaels hit some very poor wides in the period.

Chulainn Dowd opened the southerners’ account with a super score, but another Lynch free and points from Killian Bolger and Andrew Corbett extended Castletown’s advantage, as the Gaels continued to fire the wrong sides of the posts.

Dowd hit a beauty from play and then added a free to narrow the gap, but Killian Bolger netted a superb goal and Lynch added a ’65’ after a super save from Jonathan Keogh in the Gaels goal.

Southern Gaels responded admirably though as we headed for the break, with Eamonn Martin hitting three superb points in a row, and Dowd adding a free. Indeed, Evan Farrell could have a goal, but at the short whistle Castletown led by 1-7 to 0-7

The Gaels got the perfect start to the second moiety as they levelled the scoreline barely 30 seconds in, when a mix-up in the Castletown defence saw MJ Kelly nip in for an opportunist goal, and it was game on.

Castletown had introduced Jack Gallagher, Conor Murphy and David O’Reilly at the break, and after this shock they began to up the intensity for the black and ambers, with Gallagher adding four frees in a row to the team tally, as the Gaels struggled with the renewed energy.

Cian Geary and Dowd replied with frees, but Gallagher (from another softly conceded placed ball) and O’Reilly (from play) negated them immediately.

Dowd tacked on another free and then Gaels sub Eoin Hardiman set up Kelly for a wonderful second Gaels goal, as a result of which only two points separated the teams as we headed into the last quarter.

That was as close as the Gaels got though, as Gallagher (a free), James Murphy, Fergal O’Brien (from almost another parish) and finally Brendan Heeney (with possibly the score of the game) put the Castletown men out of sight. The Gaels’ only reply was a late Dowd free which was not enough to deny the black and ambers the Division 3 title, and the first club silverware of 2022.

For Southern Gaels, it’s now on to the championship, and on this display there is nothing to say that they won’t make a decent fist of intermediate hurling in the coming months, with learnings from this game at least.

At full-time, Castletown Geoghegan captain Padraic Kane received the Division 3 trophy from Westmeath GAA county committee chairman, Frank Mescall.

Scorers – Castletown Geoghegan: J Gallagher 0-8f, K Bolger 1-1, C Lynch 0-3 (2f, 1 ’65’), J Murphy 0-2, A Corbett, B Heeney, C Fagan, D O’Reilly and F O’Brien 0-1 each. Southern Gaels: C Dowd 0-7 (5f), MJ Kelly 2-0, E Martin 0-3, C Geary 0-1f.

Castletown Geoghegan: Eoin Glennon; Andrew Conway, Paddy Doran, Paul O’Sullivan; Fergal O’Brien, Brendan Heeney, Eoin Kiernan; Andrew Corbett, Padraic Kane; Conal Fagan, Conor Lynch, James Murphy; Dean Slevin, Diarmuid Garvin, Killian Bolger. Subs: Conor Murphy for Lynch (h-t), David O’Reilly for Kane (h-t), Jack Gallagher for Slevin (h-t), Cian Gavigan for James Murphy (57).

Southern Gaels: Jonathan Keogh; Seamus Hoctor, Killian Coyle, Trevor Farrell; Cian Geary, Diarmuid Martin, Cian McCarthy; Shane Galvin, Kieran Duncan; Dermot Treacy, Darragh Kelly, Eamonn Martin; Evan Farrell, MJ Kelly, Chulainn Dowd. Subs: Eoin Hardiman for E Farrell (h-t), Sean Murphy for Treacy (42), Ronan Farrell for Duncan (42), Paul Hogan for D Kelly (58), Páidi Ó Leaocháin for Hoctor (58).

Ref: Matt Shaw (Clonkill).