Junior championship play-off:          Garrycastle 5-11;        St. Loman's 4-11

For the third year in a row, the Junior team progressed to the quarter final after a hard-earned win over the home team in Lakepoint Park last Sunday. Garrycastle had a bad start when a half-blocked effort for a point by Loman's spun awkwardly and bounced favourably for the Loman's corner forward who finished to the net. However, the teams were soon level when a David O'Shaughnessy centre was fumbled by the Loman's defence and Paul Mulvihill pounced for the equaliser. Garrycastle went two points clear but then a short kick-out was intercepted and despatched to the net. Again Garrycastle responded quickly when Ciaran O'Neill found the net after great work by Cathal Mannion. This pattern was repeated later in the half when, after Loman's had notched their third goal, Peadar Mulvihill crashed the ball to the net after a free kick by Cathal Mannion came back off the post. Garrycastle led by 3-5 to 3-4 at half time and with the wind in their favour quickly extended the lead to three points after the break. However, Loman's enjoyed a spell of supremacy and took the lead before Ciaran O'Neill got his second goal after a defence-splitting run by Frank Farrell. Paul O'Donovan entered the fray and with his first touch found the net but Loman's still weren't finished and when they got through for their fourth goal the sides were level again. In the final minutes, three points from Ciaran O'Neill (one from a free) gave Garrycastle victory.

Garrycastle will now face Kilbeggan Shamrocks in the quarter final in Moate on Wednesday 7th September. They will know that improvements will be needed, especially in defence, but there were some good individual displays, none more so than Frank Farrell. The experience of David O'Shaughnessy and Tom McHugh was vital in the midfield area and Ciaran O'Neill and Cathal Mannion carried most threat up front, while sub Conor Duignan was a lively addition in the final quarter.

 

Team: Shane McEnery, Gary Mullery, Emmet Ward, Ben Kennedy, Bill Kelly, John O'Shaughnessy, Frank Farrell (0-2), Tom McHugh, David O'Shaughnessy, Peadar Mulvihill (1-1), Ciaran O'Neill (2-7, 3 frees), Enda Keena, Cathal Mannion (0-1), Noel Galvin, Paul Mulvihill (1-0).

Subs: Ronan Donohue for Mullery; Paul O'Donovan (1-0) for Peadar Mulvihill, Conor Duignan for Paul Mulvihill, Paul Mulvihill for O'Donovan (injured) and Peadar Mulvihill for Mannion (B/C).

 

 

Senior championship:           Mullingar Shamrocks 0-13;             Garrycastle    0-10

 

The seniors' hopes of making the knock-out stages are now very slim after this defeat in Rosemount's O'Growney Park last Sunday evening. Playing against the wind in the first half Garrycastle would have been happy enough with the half time situation, when they trailed by 0-7 to 0-5. However, apart from one good spell in the final quarter when they scored four unanswered points to cut the deficit to the minimum, they never really took advantage of the wind. Yet, in a close game a goal would surely have been crucial but two good opportunities were missed and Shamrocks got two late points to secure victory.

 

Team: Sean Brennan, Jack Donohue, Anthony Larkin, Karl Henson, Neill Rattigan, John Gaffey, Gary McCallon, Justin Barrett (0-1), James Dolan, Conor Cosgrove (0-7, 5 frees, 2 45s), Doron Harte, Matthew Guiheen, Johnny McGuire, Rory McGowan, Michael Monaghan (0-2 frees).

Subs: Damien Rushe for Guiheen; Seanie O'Donoghue for Monaghan.

 

 

Under 16 Football Championship (Group C):

It was a busy week for the U16 side, with two games in the championship in the space of 5 days. Garrycastle suffered a heavy defeat in their first fixture in Garrycastle last Monday evening against a very strong and talented St Lomans side. Were it not for a number of U14s making themselves available it would have resulted in the concession of the fixture. The game was dominated by the visitors' right from the throw-in and Garrycastle struggled to gain any foothold in the game. Despite this the lads tried very hard and are to be commended on their efforts. The U16 management would like to express their thanks to each of the U14 players who fielded and played so well on the night.

GARRYCASTLE: Patrick McKiernan, Tommy Devery, Robert Kelly, Tommy Stephens, Daniel Guinan, Cillian Lyons, Diarmuid Carey, Dara Mulvihill, Andrew Monaghan, Jack Fitzgerald, Darragh Keena, Cathal Redmond, Peter Mulvihill, Brain Ruane, Ian Carroll.

The second game saw Garrycastle play hosts to Rosemount on Friday evening in a re-arranged first round game, which had not proceeded a number of weeks earlier because no referee showed. This was a close fought affair with Rosemount having the better of the opening minutes and their play was rewarded with a point early on. However, Garrycastle settled into the game and James Murphy fired his side into the lead with a well taken goal in the 13th minute. Rosemount responded with a pointed free almost immediately. Points from Brian Ruane and Dylan Keegan pushed the Garrycastle boys further ahead by the 20th minute. Rosemount hit back with another pointed free and then a goal to jump into the lead. Dylan Keegan pointed for Garrycastle to level matters. However, Rosemount finished the half strongly and scored four unanswered points in the final minutes of the half to lead 1-7 to 1-3 at the break.

Garrycastle took the game to the visitors on the resumption of play, and two points from Brian Ruane reduced the gap to just a couple of points by the 35th minute. Rosemount had a point from play but Garrycastle responded with a point from Brian Ruane again. However, some poor defending by Garrycastle saw the visitors hit a second goal in the 48th minute to put them into a good lead. Rosemount hit over another point and this was responded to by Dylan Keegan with his third point of the game in the closing minutes. The final score Rosemount 2-9        Garrycastle 1-7. This was a much improved performance from the Garrycastle boys and if they had been a bit more composed and clinical in front of gaol could have got a result. There were good performances from Patrick McKiernan in goal, the entire full back line and half backs played soundly throughout. Eoin Mulvihill gave a fine display of high fielding and was ably assisted by Dylan Keegan in midfield. Andrew Monaghan, Jack Fitzgerald, Brian Ruane and James Murphy were most prominent in attack.

Garrycastle: Patrick McKiernan, Daniel Guinan, Robert Kelly, Cathal Redmond, Daniel McManus, Cillian Lyons, Darragh Kenna, Dylan Keegan (0-3), Eoin Mulvihill, Ian Carroll, Andrew Monaghan, Jack Fitzgerald, Saumil Sharma, Brian Ruane (0-4), James Murphy (1-0).

 

Under-10:

 

Garrycastle welcomed Clan na nGael on Wednesday evening last for the latest round of the Clan na nGael/Tormeys Under-10 league. As is usual in this competition, we played two matches, one each at Under-9 and Under-10 level. The under-9 team started strongly, and won a lot of possession in the centre of the field. This allowed our forwards to take a number of good scores, and build up a good lead by the end of the first half. Any attacks by the Clan forwards were handled well by the backline, who were determined to keep scoring chances to a bare minimum. As the second half started, we swapped out our forward line to give a number of our younger under-8 players a chance to show what they could do, and they stepped up to add a few extra scores to make the match safe. Overall, a very good performance from this young team, and every single one of the players present can take great pride in their sporting performances on the evening.

 

In contrast, the under-10 team, which was short a number of the under-10 players, found it difficult to get into their normal rhythm, and found scores hard to get in the first half of their match. The visitors took an early lead, and maintained their advantage until the half-time break. The Garrycastle team was reshuffled a little for the second half and started to make inroads into the Clan lead, but were never able to close the gap completely, and the Clan team ran out deserving victors. So, overall, an evening of mixed fortunes for the Garrycastle group, with one win and one loss on the evening, which was a valid reflection of the football on show. Both Garrycastle teams performed to the best of their abilities, and the under-10 team in particular will surely be strengthened by the return of players after the summer holidays.

 

Under-10 squad: Kacey Mulvihill, David Carter, Calum Hudson, Sean O'Donoghue, Brandon Devaney, Aaron Keegan, Killian Keegan, Nathan McKeon, Dean Greham, Anthony Mannion.

 

Under-9 squad: Oisin O'Donoghue, Keelan Ward, Conor McCormack, Darragh Glennon, Cian Norris, Niadh Shine, Rian Gaynor, Louie Shine, Fionn McMahon, Andrew Henson, Dylan Frawley, James McHugh, Van McCay, Kealan McNamara.

 

 

Lotto news:

 

Numbers drawn on 22nd August were 12, 15, 24 and 26. The jackpot wasn't won, so a top prize of €12,750 was on offer for this week's draw. We had three match-3 winners, as follows: Geraldine McCormack (c/o G. Murphy), Anthony Warby (c/o G Murphy) and David Rohan (c/o G. Mullery).

 

 

Sympathy:

 

To the Dolan family of The Gardens, Court Devenish on their recent bereavement.

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