Cortown 1-10

St Ultans 1-7

Cortown claimed the points and bragging rights against near neighbours and old foes St Ultans under damp underfoot conditions but clear skies on Monday evening in Cortown. The win both ended Ultans promotion hopes and ensured Cortown's survival so there was an extra sense of relief in the cheer at the final whistle lead by Cortown maestro José Rennicks!

Cortown were missing no fewer than 10 players available for the game due to various different reasons and had many sore heads lining out who celebrated Martin Henry's 40th on Saturday night and Sunday along with a few other hard bets who made the trip to Blackpool for a weekend at the darts!

A huge crowd descended on Cortown for the meeting of the parish rivals with the likes of Dudley Farrell making the trip for an intriguing encounter. Cortown playing against the stiff breeze in the first period, made a flying start despite the 15 minute delay with a diagonal ball from Justin Reilly collected by Brian Faulkner who controlled, weaved and pointed brilliantly.

If Ultans thought they were going to stroll into Cortown, take the home sides end beforehand and collect 2 points with ease...well they had another thing coming! They surely realised they were in a game when Faulkner offloaded to the returning 39 veteran John Casserly who pinged over a marvellous point from all of 40 yards. Ultans did respond when Emmet Costello found his range from a free to stop the rot.

There was fantastic work going on all over the pitch for a depleted Cortown with defending of the highest order and midfield duo Declan Coyne and Con Clarke winning a mountain of ball in the midfield sector. The next Cortown point was a thing of beauty as youngsters Daragh Smith and Kevin O'Rourke linking up before David 'Skipper' Coyne collected on a run, he dished off to the King of the Fat Frog, Butch Casserly who was glowing green and he kicked an outrageous score from distance.

Martin 'Gummy' Henry who turns 40 tomorrow and was running on pure Jaggerbombs from his weekend exploits curled over a magnificent free from way out towards the sideline with his 'weaker' left foot to stretch the lead to 3. Ultans, to their credit did respond before the break with a Costello free sandwiched in between two Darren Kavanagh efforts who recently made his bow for the Republic of Ireland under 17's. It left things finely poised at the break with the scores all square at 0-4 apiece and all to play for!

Ultans try on Stephen Quirke in the second half to try and gain an edge and they got that soon after half time when a huge ball in was fumbled by Vino Keating and tapped home by full forward Conor Smyth. It looked bleak for José's charges but they responded terrifically well an O'Rourke effort cannoned off the crossbar before Faulkner collected and composed himself before raising a fifth white flag for the boys in green. Ultans were keen to stay on top and Richie Lynagh seemed to do just that but that was going to be as good as it got for the men in green and black.

It was a predominately young Ultans outfit against an experienced and battle-hardened Cortown side and it was turning into a classic men v boys game. The saying "an old dog for a hard road and a pup for a footpath" immediately springs to mind. Speaking of old dogs...a Casstastic goal was soon to follow as the Casserly cousins combined brilliantly with Butch launching in a lethal delivery with John storming in like a train at full steam to fist past a helpless Liam Carey between the sticks with several defenders left with their mouths opened in wonder an awe. John Casserly goals are as rare as hens teeth with his left coming in a championship game in 2013 against Clonard.

Cortown soon hit the front when Conor 'Farah' Clarke bolted up the middle and thanks to the fabulous Faulkner assist, the lanky midfielder sailed over a beauty with right boot. The standard of defending from the outstanding Cormac Lindsay, Tomas Brien and Skipper helped create chances for the deadly forward line which by Faulkner floated over a class point with his left after great football from the hosts was in devastating form!

Don't ask me how or why but Henry was still motoring and after more intricate from Coyne and Faulkner, the evergreen Gummy was in and he fired over when goal might have been on but it was a crucial score nonetheless to put two between the sides. Faulkner and John Casserly combined once more before the King of the Frogs leapt up again with an extraordinary score from a huge distance which raised a big roar from the large Cortown crowd in attendance.

A Stephen Quirke point reduced the deficit to a goal with a fine effort before that man Casserly landed another electrifying long distance point from a free from 45 yards which dropped delightfully over the crossbar. Ultans got within 3 with a third Costello free but that was as good as it got for the Ultans who threw everything including the kitchen sink and all the rest at Cortown who simply weren't to be denied a famous victory. The delight was clear to see when referee Martin Ennis who incidentally had an excellent outing, blew the final whistle.

The win really sets Cortown up for the next rounds of the Junior C Championship and Intermediate Championship on Friday and Saturday week respectively. It's another feather in the cap of José Rennicks who was thrilled with his troops afterwards and will look forward to another potential date with St Ultans if Cortown can see off Syddan in next week's play-off. Cortown had monstrous displays all over the pitch but Lindsay, Clarke, Coyne, Faulkner and the Casserly cousins were particularly outstanding for the winners.

Cortown: Vino Keating, Tomas Brien, Mervyn O'Brien, Cormac Lindsay, Pierce Clarke, David Coyne, Daragh Smith, Declan Coyne, Conor Clarke (0-1), Brian Faulkner (0-3), Martin Henry (0-2,1f), John Casserly (1-1), Justin Reilly, Butch Casserly (0-3), Kevin O'Rourke.
Subs: Richie Reilly for P Clarke, Micheal Reilly for Henry, Henry for Reilly.

St Ultans: Liam Carey, Jack Murray, Jamie Coogan, Shane Mulroe, Greg McKeever, Darren Costello, Shane Dolan, Richie Lynagh (0-1), Luke O'Reilly, Conor Martin, Robert Duffy, Emmet Costello (0-3fs), Darren Kavanagh (0-2), Conor Smyth (1-0), Conor Rennicks.
Subs: Stephen Quirke (0-1), Declan Ball.      

Referee: Martin Ennis.

St. Ultan's report:

Naomh Ultain - 1-07
Baile Corr - 1-10

St. Ultan's seconds suffered a reversal to parish rivals Cortown in this B-League Division 3 encounter, played in wet and windy conditions on Monday evening in Cortown.

The opening half was a dour affair, with neither side managing to overcome the tricky conditions. Cortown started the better, with two points from play. The second was an excellent effort, with Brian Faulkner pointing from a tricky angle as the defence backed off. St. Ultan's grew into the game and created a number of good chances, their opening score coming from an Emmet Costello free. Several more frees were won in scoring positions by Ultan's forwards during the next ten minutes, a period the Black & Green side of the parish dominated. These frees all went a-begging however, and proved costly by the end of the game.  Cortown regained a foothold in the centre of the park and scored a further two points, one from play and another from a difficult free. St. Ultan's had Jack Murray and Shane Mulroe to thank it wasn't more. Darren Kavanagh provided the point for many Ultan's attacks, and scored the Ultan's first point from play mid-way through the first half. One of few first half highlights was an excellent overhead catch by Cortown full-back Mervyn O'Brien, as the visitors tried a high ball into the full forward line. The half time score was Cortown 0-04 - 0-04. St. Ultan's.

Declan Coyne and Richie Lynagh continued to battle for control of the park in the second half, as St. Ultan's introduced Stephen Quirke in an attempt to yield more scores. A high ball into the Cortown square was not dealt with, and the fumbling ball fell to Conor Smyth, who finished smartly to start the half in the best possible fashion. Richie Lynagh then popped over a point to give the Ultan's a four point lead. Rather than inspiring the visitors to push on and win the game however, this stung Cortown into decisive action. They scored 1-4 on the trot, the goal similar to one at the other end as a high ball was not dealt with and John Casserly found the net. Brian Casserly was impressive during this period of the game, delivering the ball in for the goal, and scoring from play. Stephen Quirke reduced the deficit but Brian Casserly struck back again, before Emmet Costello pointed a free to leave three in it with 8 minutes to go. Try as they might the Ultan's could not create the goal chance they needed to come away with something from the game, with possession wasted on numerous occasions, and Cortown gained a deserved victory on the night.

Best for St. Ultan's were Jack Murray, Shane Mulroe & Darren Kavanagh.

St Ultans: Liam Carey, Jack Murray, Jamie Coogan, Shane Mulroe, Gregory McKeever, Darren Costello, Shane Dolan, Richie Lynagh (0-1), Luke O'Reilly, Conor Martin, Robert Duffy, Emmet Costello (0-3fs), Darren Kavanagh (0-2), Conor Smyth (1-0), Conor Rennicks.
Subs: Stephen Quirke (0-1) for Gregory McKeever, Declan Ball for Shane Dolan.

Cortown: Vincent Keating, Tomás Brien, Mervyn O'Brien, Cormac Lindsay, Pierce Clarke, David Coyne, Daragh Smith, Declan Coyne, Conor Clarke (0-1), Brian Faulkner (0-3), Martin Henry (0-2,1f), John Casserly (1-1), Justin Reilly, Brian Casserly (0-3), Kevin O'Rourke.

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