Curraha 3-08 Cortown 1-09

Curraha made a bright start to 2016 with a comfortable victory over 2014 Junior Champions Cortown in the first round of Division 3 A League. Two weeks after an All-Ireland Semi Final defeat to All Ireland Champions Templenoe Curraha were back on home soil and although missing some key players they saw off a determined Cortown side. Curraha played up the hill and against the wind in the first half and squandered plenty of chances but they led at the break by 1-05 to 0-4 with the goal coming from Conor Moriarty after a well worked move from the full back line with Seamus Hogan, Simon McDermott, Danny Battersby, Brian Murphy and Sean O'Hanrahan all playing a part before Moriarty slotted the ball to the net. Curraha defended well and Cortown only registered one point from play in the opening thirty minutes.

Cortown started the second half the better and had two unanswered points on the board but Curraha's fitness was always going to come to the fore and their second goal came from influential O'Hanrahan along pointed frees from David Toner and Conor Moriarty. To Cortown's credit though they never gave up and scored 1-02 without reply in the last ten minutes to reduce the gap to two points with five minutes remaining but Curraha always had another gear and a replica of the first half goal was produced again with Battersby picking up a breaking ball and running at the defence. He found Murphy who found the storming run of Brian Joyce and he buried the ball to the net to restore a five point lead. Cortown were reduced to 13 men immediately after this after an off the ball incident with one of their substitutes and wing forward. Curraha will be happy to get 2016 off to a winning start and Dunderry await next Saturday.

Best for the home side were Battersby, Murphy, O'Hanrahan and Moriarty.

Curraha: L. Hogan, M. Phelan, C. Joyce, S. Hogan, G. Coyle, S. McDermott, N. Murphy, B. Joyce (1-0), S. O'Hanrahan (1-01), D. Battersby, B. Murphy (0-1), P. Dowling, C. Moriarty (1-05), D. Toner (0-1), A. Battersby. Subs: M. Jackson for Phelan, S. Keogh for A. Battersby, N. Moriarty for Dowling, A. Coyle for Coyle, PJ. McMahon for N. Murphy, D. Doran for C. Joyce.

Cortown Report

Curraha 3-08 Cortown 1-09

Cortown pushed Meath and Leinster Junior champions Curraha all the way in a cracking AFL Division 3 opener in a dull and gloomy Curraha on Sunday morning. Curraha needed a 60th minute goal to see off a battling Cortown who displayed great signs of improvement in Davy Cahill's first game as manager.

It wasn't the ideal first outing for Cortown who were playing a Curraha side who were competing in an All-Ireland semi-final two weeks ago and as you can imagine were flying fit. The pitch wasn't ideal either as referee Brendan O'Brien inspected the pitch prior to throw-in, a bog was the only way to describe certain parts of it including the top of the hill which was as mucky as pigsty!
With conditions desperate, first half scoring was at a premium and with Cortown playing with a gale force wind at their backs in the first period, getting scores on the board was always going to be crucial! Curraha did start the better however with under 21 star David Toner very much the go to man for the 'Ha. Despite their early dominance, poor misses and wide's let Cortown settle and a burst from centre back Daragh O'Halloran and a tidy right footed finish got Cortown up and running!

There was nothing easy all over the field as individual battles were ongoing and the game had a real edge to it as the sides traded scores once more after good work from Brian Smith and Davy Rispin eventually resulted in a lovely left footed curler from the ever-willing Tommy Smith. There was a blow for Cortown midway through the second half when a lovely passing move from the home side resulted in a well taken finish which left John McFadden helpless between the sticks.

To their credit Cortown kept plugging away and the hardworking Declan 'Bull' Casserly who was making his eagerly awaited return to the Cortown 15 drew a free and Rispin pointed the resulting kick from a tight angle to reduce the arrears once again. Stephen Fitzmaurice had a controversial freekick disallowed when it looked like he had done enough to raise another white flag however a second Rispin free did count after bulldozer Richie Flanagan was hauled down en route to goal. At the break Curraha were firmly in the ascendency with all the aces and a 4 point advantage, 1-5 to 0-4.  

Whatever Martin Barry and Davy Cahill said to their troops at the break, it certainly had the desired effect as Cortown came out firing on all cylinders and putting real pressure on the wind assisted 'Ha. Cortown were struggling to penetrate the tight marking Curraha backline spearheaded by Simon McDermott and the ever vocal captain Gavin Coyle who was making a rare start.
Curraha began to use the strong breeze to their advantage and tagged on a couple of scores before a second goal arrived which seemed to end the game as a contest. With 8 points between the sides playing up a hill which feels like Croagh Patrick and a gale playing in the faces you wouldn't hold much hope for the visitors but back came the Cortown boys! First it was a magnificent O'Halloran point which really seemed to galvanise a determined Cortown side. Then Fitzmaurice landed a monster free and for the first time in the contest O'Halloran, Flanagan and Smith began to burst through the Ha backline and draw frees.

There was real hope when a long Rispin free was floated in and a mistake by the Curraha keeper incredibly ended up in the back of the net. Cortown were firmly on top now and a couple of Rispin free's did nothing to ease the tension and the twitchy Curraha manager John O'Brien who wasn't so laid back and relaxed as he was early in the game!

The sides traded scores once more as former Curraha man and Cortown corner back Johnny McGearty made a terrific burst from defence and pointed a superb left footed effort to reduce the deficit to 2 points. As Cortown pushed for a late equaliser they left gaps at the back and a well seasoned Curraha side duly punished the visitors as they got in and ended the contest once and for all with a third goal.

Overall, this was a really encouraging first game for Davy Cahill's side with plenty of positives to pick against top quality opposition who haven't been beaten by a Meath side since last April in all competitions. Ultimately it's a defeat for Cortown by as I drove to Ennikillen with selector Packie Henry afterwards, we discussed the positives and in particular that second half fighback against the elements. Cortown will look for another good performance against St Kevin's of Dunleer during the week before a second round encounter with Oldcastle next Sunday in Cortown which should be another cracker!

Cortown: John McFadden, Ivor O'Halloran, Barry Clarke, John McGearty (0-1), Cormac Lindsay, Daragh O'Halloran (0-2), Paddy Kerrigan, Daniel Dennehy, Richie Flanagan, Colm Kerrigan, Brian Smith, Tommy Smith (0-1), Stephen Fitzmaurice (0-1f), Declan Casserly, Davy Rispin (1-4fs)
Subs: David Coyne for Casserly, Conor Whelan for C Kerrigan, Anthony Boyle for Dennehy.

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