Cortown 4-11  Kilbride 1-08

If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again and that’s just what Cortown did on Monday night when they met Kilbride’s second string for the third time this year. Astonishingly this was the clubs FIFTH time meeting this year. This game was a rare occurrence in what was a 3 way play-off with two going through to the knockout stages of this year’s Junior D Championship.

Kilbride were sharper in the early exchanges and Cortown possibly still limbering out, were slow to settle. King of the Frogs Butch Casserly would open Cortown’s account for the evening after some terrific interchange before the man fuelled by green diesel curled over a textbook effort. A second excellent move in quick succession would soon follow as Glen Loughran expertly picked out returning hero Declan ‘Hightower’ Coyne who dished off to the glowing Bronzed Adonis Davy Wright who applied the cushioned finish.

Cortown were at it and a long speculative delivery was superbly palmed into the back of the net by who else but Hightower who was lurking menacingly on the edge of the square. What a story it would be if Trevor Coyne playing in his 30th year of adult football, yes 30th if he could claim the Junior D Championship. He was an integral part of the 1996 Intermediate Championship winning team and he is still a key man in this side illustrated by his quick thinking in setting up Loughran from a quick-free.

Coyne would himself get in on the act soon after some determined play before applying the left footed finish. It wasn’t just in an attacking sense Cortown were on top, defensively they were magnificent. Mossy Brien was really putting a ‘stamp’ on things in the full back line along with the unmistakable Boots Clarke. The Costello brothers were well on top too with James between the sticks finding Cortown men with a degree of regularity from his restarts which proved a key platform to build upon.

Seamus O’Connor was having an excellent outing and he spotted a foul for a discrepancy which Ryan Henry slotted over. Kilbride did get a lifeline with a well-worked goal at the other end but Cortown responded well with the raiding Cian Smith involved before Casserly riffled over instead of under. An undercut shot once again dropped invitingly around the shop and that man again Hightower was on hand to fist home for a second of the night. It’s a remarkable story of a man who fought tooth and nail against illness and has managed to shake all of it off to get back on the pitch and grab two goals…a real inspiration to everyone!

Kilbride would tag on another score but a deft dummy from Loughran who was striding around the pitch like it was 2004 again owning the pitch and oozing class would result in yet another score just before the interval to ensure there was a fantastic 7 between the sides as David Nolan’s side gasped for air amidst the Cortown onslaught.

To be fair to Nolan’s men, they did muster the first couple of scores of the second period and it could have been more but for the tremendous last ditch defending on Mark Watters who was enjoying arguably his finest ever game in the Cortown green. Odhran Henry’s influence was steadily growing and he played a part in finding Michael’s manager and ever bronzed Wright who struck a rare left footed effort to settle any lingering nerves in the Cortown ranks. If the game was still on it was most definitely over when a flowing move resulted in Henry firing home a tidy right footed finish.

There was no let up from the home side as Pearce Clarke on his return to the team bombing forward with Loughran floating over from range. Some more beautiful interplay between several Cortown players eventually seen Henry raise yet another white flag. With legs tiring in the attacking half, Mickey Costello rolled the sleeves up and took things into his own hands as he charged forward, cut inside and lashed an inspirational score over the crossbar. Loughran would round off a fine nights work with a sensational fourth goal with a cheeky lob for the rampant hosts.

Cortown could afford to bring on champagne footballer Martin Henry and impact sub Richie ‘Cheesy’ Reilly late on as the visitors prayed for the final whistle. It wasn’t far away but Smith would turn over his 56th ball of the night setting one last attack in motion and Conor Mulroe who amazingly went the whole 60 minutes scoreless (not for the want of trying) was hauled over. Henry would do the rest and O’Connor would blow for full time as Skipper Coyne was just about to warm up the defib but thankfully it wasn’t needed.

Cortown can look forward to a Quarter-Final and on the basis of this performance, it’s hard to argue they didn’t deserve it. Kilbride will have one more opportunity when they travel to Narnia to take on Ballinabrackey in a straight shoot-out. Cortown will hope it can be the first of two Quarter’s they will play in as they tackle Clann nan Gael in the Junior Championship on Sunday. Get your predictions in for the Cortown GFC Club Championship forecast before Friday to be in with a chance of winning a share of €200 at www.meathgaapredictions.com

Cortown: Jammie Costello, Mark Watters, Declan Clarke, Tomas Brien, Cian Smith, Mickey Costello (0-1), Pearce Clarke, Odhran Henry, Conor Mulroe, Davy Wright (0-2), Glen Loughran (1-2), Ryan Henry (1-3), Trevor Coyne (0-1), Declan Coyne (2-0), Butch Casserly (0-2).

Subs: Martin Henry for Coyne, Micheal Reilly for Wright, Richie Reilly for Coyne, Trevor Coyne for P Clarke.

Referee: Seamus O’Connor (Carnaross)    

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