League decider a damp squib for poor Syddan
Oldcastle Syddan 4-15 0-14
A FOUR-GOAL salvo in the final quarter wrapped up the A League Division 2 title for Oldcastle at a damp Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.
The winners only clinched promotion after winning their final match against Castletown the previous Monday, but they had their name on the Kevin McConnell Cup from a long way out in this one.
A 13-point defeat was somewhat harsh on Syddan, but overall it was a hugely disappointing display from the side that blazed a trail throughout the campaign.
Syddan started without the injured Kevin Traynor and suffered another blow when full back Ronan Mooney limped out of the action in less than four minutes. They made a slow start to proceedings, but a strong finish to the half saw them lead 0-8 to 0-7 at the break.
Oldcastle turned up the heat on the restart and forged into a four-point lead in the third quarter. Syddan managed to get the deficit back to two. However, there was only one team in it in the final quarter as Oldcastle made the most of copious possession and rattled in four goals.
A couple of those were of the soft variety and at times Oldcastle found it relatively easy to prise open the Syddan rearguard. Much of Syddan’s troubles stemmed from their inability to get a grip on the midfield exchanges. Numerous kickouts also went astray, while Oldcastle keeper Conor McHugh showed his worth with some pinpoint accuracy and he also converted a free and a 45.
The first half suggested it would be a tight, low-scoring encounter as both sides struggled after the sudden change in the weather.
Syddan raced into an early lead following points from Paddy Farrelly and Sean Clare. However, Oldcastle responded with four successive points, Peter Monaghan opened their account, while Jason Scully (free) Patrick Rahill and CJ Healy also raised white flags.
Points from Padraic Dillon and Daire Rowe left Syddan the minimum before Peter Monaghan cut in along the endline and his pass was finished to the net by Farrelly.
Dillon and Rowe responded with points, but the Syddan challenge ended following quickfire points from Farrelly and CJ Healy.
Healy stretched the lead with a long-range point and on 52 minutes Farrelly struck for his second goal. Monaghan and Stephen Tierney added to the goal tally, while Syddan’s only scores in reply were two frees by Daire Rowe. OLDCASTLE: Conor McHugh 0-2 (1f, 1 45); Eoin Gilsenan, Cian McPartland, Oran O’Reilly; Darren Hawdon; Gerard Reidy, Jason Scully 0-1f; Ross Cadden, Patrick Rahill 0-1; CJ Healy 0-4, Ronan Maguire 0-1, Keith Connell; Patrick Kevin, Peter Monaghan 1-2, Robert Farrelly 2-4 (1f). Subs: Robert Smith for Connell (41), Stephen Tierney 1-0 for Kevin (50), Niall Mangan for Maguire (56), Ronan Taggart for Gilsenan 57, Lee Healy for CJ Healy (59), Thomas Flood for O’Reilly (59). SYDDAN: Ciaran Farrelly; Mark Fedigan, Ronan Mooney, Ryan Summersby; Stuart Fedigan, Andrew Garland, Michael Fedigan; Sean Clare 0-2, Cormac Rowe; Padraic Dillon 0-1; Daire Rowe 0-7 (5f), Paddy Farrelly 0-2; Brian Dillon 0-2 (1f), Gary Farrelly, Graham Garland. Subs: Stephen Tallon for Mooney (4), Cormac Rafferty for P Dillon (53), Cathal Dardis for G Farrelly (56).
Pat Clarke (Seneschalstown)