JFC C: Cortown fall to Dunsany
May 25, 2015
Cortown's Gary Coyne
by David Rispin
Cortown 1-6
Dunsany 0-12
Cortown made the short trip to Simonstown on Sunday afternoon safe in the knowledge that a win would almost guarantee qualification to quarter-finals of the Junior C Championship with a couple of games to spare.
However, it wasn't to be for Cortown despite a spirited second half fightback, a strong Dunsany side clung on for a merited victory.
Jose Rennicks, the Cortown supremo was without the services of the maestro Stephen Fitzmaurice who pulls the strings for the Cortown second string. Apart from that Cortown were at full strength with Jammie Costello retaking his place off Vino Keating.
Dunsany playing into the factory end aided with a strong breeze made the better start kicking the opening three scores of the game with some very erratic play from the Cortown backs. After about 15 minutes of action, the boys in green finally got going thanks to a Gary Coyne point from distance after terrific influential play from his namesake, David 'Skipper' Coyne.
You'd think this would spur Cortown on however this wasn't the case as some profligacy in front of the posts proved costly as the men in red with their running game were clinical and punished a wasteful Cortown with another 4 points on the trot. The young men in the backline, Kevin Muldoon and Cormac Lindsay along with the veteran Coyne in defence were keeping Cortown alive and that trio worked an opening for Martin Henry who with the left worked a score. It's always a cringe moment when 'Gummy' uses the left but thankfully on this occasion the ball went between the uprights and at the break Dunsany were comfortable leading 8 points to 2.
Jose Rennicks needed to work some of his famous magic and despite tearing into his players he didn't get the desired effect immediately as the Dunsany men tagged on a couple of early points to stretch the lead to a massive 8. Dunsany were strong particularly because their Junior A's have only played one championship game so haven't robbed too many from the second team.
The frustrating Henry tried to lead by example and won a free and took it but for whatever reason Cortown just couldn't get any momentum going and Dunsany cancelled this out with a couple of points to go 9 up.
With 15 minutes to go Cortown made their typical Houdini act to come back from the dead as Jose turned to his bench and Richie Reilly and the return of James 'Ragsy' Matthews...his first appearance in three years! Another sub, Declan Clarke who made a real positive impact worked hard to find Coyne who despite having two or three men hanging out of him found his range and got a point.
The same man put the red head down and made a beeline towards goal and placed it brilliantly in the bottom corner to give Jose's army some hope! The revival seemed to be on with Muldoon and Lindsay outstanding in defence and supplying good ball whilst Henry began winning breaks and he sailed over a beauty to reduce the deficit to 4 with 4 minutes left on the clock.
Coyne let in a huge effort with the outside of the left from all of 50 metres which dropped over the black spot but time was against Cortown and despite setting up a grandstand finish, it just wasn't to be and Dunsany who over the hour were the better side, deserved the victory and the all important 2 points as Cortown were made to rue their wastefulness in the first half in particular.
It's a disappointing result for the second string however with two games remaining, it remains in Cortown's hands as to whether they will make the quarter-finals but certainly a few more training sessions and a less beers and fat frogs would go a long way to ensuring qualification! Cortown had great displays from Muldoon, Lindsay and the two Coyne's.
Cortown: Jammie Costello, Kevin Muldoon, Mervyn O'Brien, Cormac Lindsay, Michael Costello, David Coyne, Tomas Brien, Martin Henry (0-3,2fs), Declan Coyne, Conor Clarke, Justin Reilly, Conor Whelan, David Wright, Gary Coyne (1-3,1f), Ryan Henry. Subs: Declan Clarke for Brien, Daragh Smith for Whelan, Richie Reilly for R Henry, James Matthews for M Costello.
