Martin’s might
Strong finish secures win
ST. MARTIN’S 1-15 CASTLETOWN 2-8
THE ASSUMPTION that Castletown would be a lot sharper at this time of year than a St. Martin’s club prioritising hurling was blown out of the water in Bellefield on Saturday when the Wexford District side produced a storming finish to land a precious set of Group A points in the Senior football championship.
The victors outscored their fancied rivals by 1-6 to 0-1 in the last quarter to turn a four-point deficit into a four-point success, leaving the Wicklow border crew with some serious soul-searching to do in the process.
St. Martin’s proved that having a strong base of physical fitness and a united approach on the field can go a long way towards securing victories in club football in Wexford, although it also helped immensely that Ciarán Lyng and Barry O’Connor were on fire in their forward line.
The former may have his inter-county days behind him at this stage, while the latter is about to embark on an adventure in Australia in quest of an AFL place that no ambitious youngster could turn down.
However, their combined accuracy on this occasion ensured St. Martin’s repeated last year’s group win over a Castletown side that would have been hoping for more than just a one-goal contribution from play between inter-county colleagues Ben Brosnan and Jonathan Bealin.
Brosnan netted that in the 25th minute with a low shot after a one-two with Brendan Halpin, and it brought his side back to level terms (0-7 to 1-4).
Captain Halpin had kicked two points from play earlier, with Bealin knocking over two frees, but St. Martin’s looked more menacing overall as Joe Coleman, Ciarán Lyng (three, two frees), Barry O’Connor (two, one free) and Daithí Waters contributed to their tally.
The deadly duo then combined in the 26th minute, with Lyng feeding O’Connor for his second from play, edging the side with a new coach in ex-Wexford attacker and goalkeeper Shane Roche into an 0-8 to 1-4 interval lead.
Castletown have turned back to their successful 2010 boss, Timmy Walsh, in the hope of restoring those glory days, while the captain of that side, Tomás Sheehy, is one of his fellow mentors.
And with St. Martin’s losing full-back Joe O’Connor to an early injury on the re-start, their rivals availed of the uncertainty that initially brought as Jonathan Bealin levelled from a free before a well-taken penalty goal gave them a 2-5 to 0-8 lead.
Stephen Moloney and Ben Brosnan combined prior to veteran Colm Morris being pushed to earn that spot-kick, and Brosnan sent it low into the left corner past a diving Luke White.
After Bealin (free) and Lyng swapped points, Castletown substitute James Holmes injected some pace and pushed his side clear by 2-7 to 0-9 in the 44th minute.
Their fade-out that followed couldn’t have been predicted at that stage, but St. Martin’s were full value for the win as they drove on relentlessly towards the finish line.
They had drawn level after two points apiece from Barry O’Connor and Lyng (both play and free), and never looked back after Jake Firman applied the finishing touch to a sweet move featuring substitute Patrick O’Connor and Lyng in the 54th minute (1-13 to 2-7).
O’Connor knocked over another free after being impeded off the ball for a second time and, although James Holmes did pull a point back, the last word went to Martin’s substitute Darren Codd three minutes into added time.
St. Martin’s: Luke White; Willie Devereux, Joe O’Connor, Mikey Coleman; Aaron Maddock (0-1), Mark Maloney, Michael Codd; Daithí Waters (0-1), Ben Maddock (capt.); Joe Coleman (0-1), Barry O’Connor (0-5, 3 frees), Jake Firman (1-0); Paudie Kelly, Jack O’Connor, Ciarán Lyng (0-6, 3 frees). Subs. - Harry O’Connor for Joe O’Connor, inj. (32), Patrick O’Connor for Kelly (41), Darren Codd (01) for J. Coleman (53), Kyle Firman for B. Maddock (57).
Castletown: Anthony Masterson; Killian Pierce, Danny Gardiner, Peter Devine; Ross Cody, Joe Gardiner, Colm Morris; Colin Kennedy, Rory Heffernan; Robbie Brooks, Brendan Halpin (capt., 0-2), Donnacha Holmes; Stephen Moloney, Jonathan Bealin (0-4 frees), Ben Brosnan (2-0, 1 pen.). Subs. - James Holmes (0-2) for D. Holmes (40), Andy Merrigan for Halpin, temp. (50-56).
Referee: Fintan O’Reilly (Kilmore).