Castlebar pip Calry in decider
A bitterly cold Scarden was the venue for the clash between Calry/ St Joseph’s and Casltebar Mitchells to decide who would be crowned victors in the Dermot Molloy Hurling League.
Spectators in the Centre of Excellence at the Sunday game braved the elements as the sides battled it out in what was a relatively low scoring affair.
Although having much of the possession in the opening half, Henry Cox’s Calry/ St Joseph’s saw themselves three points adrift at the break but they managed to draw level in the latter stages of the second half as the game could have swung in either favour. Yet it was the visitors who claimed the win with a point to spare, with their illustrious Corey Scahill, who was a thorn in the Calry/ St Joseph’s side throughout, sending over the winner from a free.
It was a scrappy opening period of play as both sides tried to get on the scoreboard and it wasn’t until the tenth minute that the first score arrived for the hosts.
Midfielder Keith Raymond sent a perfect pass into the direction of Darragh Cox who swiftly fired into the Castlebar Mitchells net to send Calry/ St Joseph’s into the lead.
Scahill got his first of seven points from a free on 12 minutes before Raymond responded after Michael Larkin was fouled. Three more unanswered points from Scahill meant there was only a point between them on 20 minutes and the visitors pushed on as the half- time whistle loomed.
Castlebar Mitchells were guilty of hitting some poor wides, they notched up nine in total in the opening half but Brian Peoples was contender for point of the game after a blistering run to put his side into the lead. Further unanswered scores from Scahill ( 2), and Abdullah Abbasi put three between them at the interval, Castlebar Mitchells eight points to Calry/ St Joseph’s 1- 2.
Peoples got his second after the resumption before Raymond pointed a free on 32 minutes to bring the deficit back to three. This was the beginning of a dominating spell from the hosts, scores from midfielder Ronan Cox, and David Collery ( 2) brought the game level on 38 minutes before a Raymond free edged them in front a minute later as the home support were getting behind the side. Peoples had other ideas though and equalised matters before another Scahill free put the Mayo outfit into the lead again.
They were two ahead with 15 minutes remaining, Darren McTigue on target, before Raymond scored his fifth point a minute later, and another from Reidy meant it all to play for in the closing stages. Abdullah Abbasi pointed for the visitors before Raymond equalised with eight minutes to go and it was anyone’s game before the influential Scahill scored the winner.
CALRY/ ST JOSEPH’S: A Tracy, C Maguire, J Kenny, T Kelly, F Coyne, L Reidy ( 0- 1), N McDermott, R Cox ( 0- 1), K Raymond ( 0- 6, 5f), C Griffin, D Collery ( 0- 2), M Larkin, E Kelly, D Cox ( 1- 0), D Hand. Subs: E Doherty and B Shannon.
CASTLEBAR MITCHELLS: M Parsons, C Murphy, F Gill, B Maloney, T Sweeney, S Molloy, B Kennedy, D McTigue ( 0- 1), C Murray, A Butler, A Gavin, D Horan, B Peoples ( 0- 3), C Scahill ( 0- 8, 4f), A Abbasi ( 0- 2). Subs: D McHale. Referee: Gus Chapman.