Stalemate enough to send Caulry through

By Paul Doolin

Caulry 1-9, The Downs 1-9

Caulry looked all over winners for most of this match against 2022 Flanagan Cup champions The Downs, only to let a five-point lead slip in Shandonagh last Sunday afternoon. But the draw was still enough for Caulry to claim a quarter-final spot and next weekend they will meet Athlone.

The Downs were already out of contention beforehand and this result means they exit the championship having failed to win a single game in the group stages.

This was a game of missed chances, especially for The Downs who spurned at least three good goal chances and hit 12 wides (including some very poor ones). Caulry were far less wasteful with their possession, but should have really put this game to bed long before a late Downs rally almost brought off a smash and grab victory.

Defences were on top for the most part and both sides defended very well in the main, but Caulry could have been left to rue letting a five-point lead slip with three minutes remaining on the clock and in the end they were lucky to hold on for a draw.

Shane Curran and his charges will surely work on this ahead of a big south Westmeath derby against Athlone next Saturday, while The Downs, who were depleted, will have the winter to reflect on their poor defence of the title they won with such panache ten months ago.

Caulry started much the brighter with Senan Baker opening the scoring with a beautiful solo point followed by another super point from county star Kevin Maguire to double the advantage. Tom Tuite pulled one back with a free for The Downs, but Conor McCormack negated that immediately when converting a dead ball at the other end.

The Mount Temple men took almost complete control at this juncture when a speculative McCormack delivery was not dealt with and Tadhg Baker nipped in to rifle to the net for a great goal. Alan Malynn converted a mark shortly afterwards for the men in red and white as they pressed on, but Luke Loughlin narrowed the gap with a free.

Tiernan O’Donovan pointed for Caulry with the score of the half, but two Ian Martin strikes brought The Downs back into the game and in truth either could have been goals. Senan Baker steadied Caulry nerves with a pointed free, but on the stroke of half-time, Tuite converted after some sloppy defending. Caulry led by 1-6 to 0-5 at the break after an entertaining first half.

Malynn immediately extended that advantage on the resumption with a very good score after patient play from Caulry, but Ian Martin replied at the other end with a super solo effort. The game then hit a hiatus as neither side could manage to penetrate the other rearguard, and the quality dipped as a consequence.

Charlie Drumm was denied by a fabulous save by Jack Connaughton in the Caulry goal, while Dean Egerton narrowed the gap further with a lovely point for the black and ambers. But they then kicked a sequence of very poor wides despite having the lion’s share of possession.

Caulry punished them when, firstly, Conor McCormack scored from a very narrow angle and then Baker converted a free with five minutes to go. At this stage it looked done and dusted, but The Downs are not county champions for nothing and they showed tremendous resilience in the dying moments with nothing to play for.

Andrew Kilmartin notched a point that his overall display deserved and when Caulry missed a goal chance, The Downs broke at pace and that man, Luke Loughlin, was on hand to fire to the net for a quite superb goal. Loughlin almost became a villain moment later when spurning the chance of the equaliser to go for a second major, but his shot was deflected and, from the resultant 45, he calmly slotted over the leveller. With time up, it was probably the fairest result.

Man of the match: Stephen Connolly (Caulry). It’s a difficult one here to be honest with Luke Loughlin, Oisin Loughlin, Joe Moran and Andrew Kilmartin in the frame for The Downs, while Kevin Maguire, Conor McCormack, the Baker boys, Senan and Tadhg, and Alan Malynn were super for Caulry. However, for an all-round 60-minute display, the accolade goes to Caulry midfielder Stephen Connolly.

Scorers - Caulry: T Baker 1-0, S Baker 0-3 (2 frees), C McCormack (1f) and A Malynn (1 mark) 0-2 each, K Maguire and T O’Donovan 0-1 each. The Downs: L Loughlin 1-2 (0-1f, 0-1 45’), Ian Martin 0-3, Tom Tuite 0-2 (2f), A Kilmartin and D Egerton 0-1 each.

Caulry: Jack Connaughton; Eoin Shortall, Kevin Maguire, Sean Fox; Tadhg Baker, Eoghan Grennan, Damien Dolan; Stephen Connolly, Sean Doyle; Ben Moran, Conor McCormack, Sean Murphy; Tiernan O’Donovan, Senan Baker, Alan Malynn. Subs: Sean Clinton for Shortall (30 mins), Paddy Sleator for Doyle and Emmet Nally for Murphy (H-T), Luke Buckley for O’Donovan (51), Harry Stuart Trainor for Dolan (60).

The Downs: Trevor Martin; Darragh Egerton, Peter Murray, Eanna Burke; Oisin Murphy, Charlie Drumm, Joe Moran; Jonathan Lynam, Oisin Loughlin; Ciaran Nolan, Andrew Kilmartin, Ian Martin; Dean Egerton, Luke Loughlin, Tom Tuite. Subs: Phillip Martin for Tuite (48 mins), Trevor Fitzpatrick for Murphy (53), Dean Clarke for Burke (61).

Referee: Niall Ward (Garrycastle).