'We stepped it up in the second half' says Mangan
Castletown Geoghegan manger Alan Mangan said he was pleased with how his team upped the ante in the second half of last Sunday's victory over Lough Lene Gaels, but he is aware they need to perform from the start of they're to win the title. He felt his side were slow to impose their style on the game.
“To be honest, I’m not entirely sure what the issue was. We’ll need to go back and review our pre-match preparations, including our warm-ups, to figure out if there was something in our setup that didn’t suit us. It’s important to identify if there were any factors that contributed to our slow start. We need to correct this as soon as possible because, had the Lough Lene Gaels been more clinical with their shooting, the score could have been a lot more daunting by half-time.
“We know the top teams like Lough Lene Gaels, Raharney and Clonkill won’t leave those kind of chances behind them every day.”
A turning point in the game came with Jack Gallagher’s crucial goal early in the second half. Mangan highlighted the importance of this moment, saying, “Jack’s goal was a game-changer for us. It came at a critical time and really helped us regain our composure. We had been struggling to assert ourselves, and that goal was exactly what we needed to get back on track. We’ve always known that when we get quality ball into our forwards, they can make things happen, and Jack’s goal was a testament to that.
“He stepped up to the plate in the second half, along with other players and we always have that threat when we can get good ball to the inside forwards.”
Niall O’Brien’s contributions from frees were also noteworthy. “Niall was instrumental with his free-taking,” Mangan commented. “At this level, you rely on your top players to deliver in crucial moments. Niall, Aonghus, and Peter Clarke all played significant roles today. Despite the challenges we faced, with a bug affecting some players and dealing with injuries, their performances were key to our success.”
Lough Lene Gaels manager Joey Williams acknowledged the challenges his team faced during a contest that, while competitive, ultimately saw Castletown Geoghegan emerge as the superior side. "It was a tough game for us," Williams admitted. "We knew Castletown Geoghegan would be a formidable opponent, and they proved that today. They managed to capitalise on their opportunities more effectively than we did," he noted.
It was a game in which the Gaels struggled to maintain their early momentum. "We started reasonably well, but we faltered as the game progressed. We had our chances, particularly in the first half, but we didn’t convert them into scores. That ultimately cost us. In the first ten, fifteen minutes, we were really on top, but we had a few bad wides, and then we didn't really finish the first half too well, being honest. And, against the wind, we were going to be up against it a little bit in the second half," he said.
Williams highlighted the pivotal moments of the game, particularly the impact of Castletown Geoghegan’s goals. "Their first goal in the 40th minute was a turning point. It gave them the lead and seemed to galvanise them. We tried to respond, but their second and third goals came at crucial times, and we couldn’t recover from that."
Despite the defeat, Williams recognised the areas where his team showed resilience. "There were periods when we battled hard and showed character, but we need to be more clinical and disciplined. Our performance in the second half lacked the urgency and precision required at this level."
When asked about the impact of the conditions and game management, Williams was pragmatic. "The conditions were dry and favoured a free-flowing game, but that’s no excuse. We had to adapt better and make the most of our opportunities. We have to analyse what went wrong and ensure we address these issues before our next game."
Looking ahead, Williams is focused on regrouping and preparing for the challenges that lie ahead an remains optimistic "We’ll review the game, look at the footage, and see where we can improve. It’s important to stay positive and work on our weaknesses. We have a lot of talent in this squad, and we need to harness that more effectively," he said.
"This defeat is a setback, but it’s also a learning opportunity. We’ll take the lessons from today, work hard, and come back stronger. Our aim remains to compete at the highest level and improve with each game."
While some calls went against his side, Williams wasn't dwelling on the negative. "There was a couple of decisions with the referee, and, like, they're questionable, and I hate giving out about referees, but it's very frustrating when you get some and you don't get others that look blatant. That's being honest, and it works both ways, I suppose. But, to be fair, shooting is a problem. We were here last night, and St Oliver Plunkett's shot a lot of wides in the first half and left a lot of scores behind them. Being honest, the same thing cost us; we had a few bad wides as well. There are a lot of shots in the games now and the best percentage of scoring is going to win most games, and that's being honest. It's the sharpest boys up front are generally the winners, and that's it."