Cassidy’s brace crucial in narrow win for Castletown

Castletown-Geoghegan 3-7 St Oliver Plunkett's 1-12

Defying the cold and drizzly conditions in Robinstown last Saturday afternoon, the U17 hurlers from Castletown-Geoghegan and St Oliver Plunkett’s treated the small crowd present to an entertaining Westmeath Division 1 shield final, with the young men in the famous black and amber stripes emerging victorious by the narrowest of margins.

Padraig Casey, whose free-taking was top class all through, opened the scoring from 65 metres after just 45 seconds. A half-minute later, Mickey Devine equalized with a tidy finish.

Adam Cassidy and Sean Mulvaney traded well-worked points before Ted Aherne and Ben McNamee nudged the home team two clear with a fine score each. Converted frees by Neale Pierson (long-range) and Dylan Corrigan (closer to the target) tied up the scoring (0-4 apiece) by the end of the opening quarter.

The winners had agile ‘keeper Seán Clarke to thank on three occasions which could have led to three-pointers. Casey slotted over another free in the 17th minute, but Castletown-Geoghegan edged ahead with points from Pierson (a fine individual effort) and Corrigan (a free).

A period of solid defending by the winners ensued, but the white and green-clad outfit still managed to draw level (0-6 each) before the break courtesy of a great free by Casey.

Some 70 seconds after the restart, Castletown-Geoghegan pounced for the game’s first goal, Cassidy giving TJ Flood no chance with a rasping shot at the end of a patient move. Casey converted a free at the other end – the award seemed soft – before Cassidy doubled his goal haul in the 35th minute at the end of a Pierson delivery. However, another brace of Casey frees kept Plunkett’s very much in contention, and they trailed by just three points (2-6 to 0-9) at the end of the third quarter.

Corrigan was wide from a goal attempt in the 47th minute but, two minutes later, he made amends when what appeared to be an innocuous shot from distance somehow crept over the line. Pierson soon added a point to put his side seven clear and seemingly well in control.

However, St Oliver Plunkett’s rallied well and two more Casey frees were followed by a Mulvaney goal in the 56th minute, thereby setting up a grandstand finish. Towards the end of normal time, Casey pounced for an opportunist point from play to leave the deficit at the bare minimum. In the second minute of added-time, the same player saw his ‘65’ from a very difficult angle go narrowly wide, and the final whistle sounded from the resultant puck-out.

After the game, on behalf of Westmeath Coiste na nÓg, Peter Collins presented the shield to a worthy recipient in Neale Pierson.

Scorers - Castletown-Geoghegan: A Cassidy 2-1, D Corrigan 1-2 (0-2f), N Pierson 0-3 (1f), M Devine 0-1. St Oliver Plunkett’s: P Casey 0-9 (8f), S Mulvaney 1-1, B McNamee, T Aherne 0-1 each.

Castletown-Geoghegan: Seán Clarke; James Connolly, David O’Malley, Eoin Carey; Shane Maloney, Patrick Maloney, Darragh Mulligan; Aaron Jackson, Neale Pierson; Luke Robinson, Dylan Corrigan, Conor Maloney; Adam Cassidy, Philip Reynolds, Mickey Devine. Rest of panel: Sean Bolger, Eanna Maxwell, Rory Quinn, Morgan Redmond, Adam Clarke.

St Oliver Plunkett’s: TJ Flood; Cillian Walsh, Mikee Weir, Charlie Foy; Robert Hogg, Sean Hayes, Sean Byrne; Padraig Casey, Ben McNamee; Sean Mulvaney, Eoin Meehan, Oliver Brennan; Ted Aherne, Matthew Doyle, Adam Buckley. Rest of panel: Conor Caffrey, Sean Daly, Ruairí Doonan, James Flynn, Paul Keating, Ryan McNamee, Rory O’Brien, Criostóir Ormsby, Will Scahill, Hugo Sleator, Cillian Traynor, Conor Walsh, Donnacha Maguire, Darragh Vickery.

Referee: Sean Carroll (Cullion).