Goals from McDonnell and Langan the difference as Castleconnor claim title
CASTLECONNOR 2-15 CALRY/ST. JOSEPH’S 0-15
TWO first half goals, one a piece from Castleconnor’s John McDonnell and Kevin Langan did the damage, as the west Sligo boys beat Calry/St Joseph’s in Sunday afternoon’s Division Two final.
Castleconnor lead this decider by twelve points at the break and although Calry outscored their opponents in the second half, it was a case of too little too late as Shane McCann’s side progressed to play Division One football next year.
In glorious conditions in Tourlestrane, it took four minutes for this tie to come up with its first score. Stephen Curley sending over the first of his personal tally of three.
Sean Carrabine registered the maiden of his total of four from the half forward line two minutes later. John McDonnell teeing up Carrabine before the young county man was allowed open up his body to fire between the posts.
Calry were able to halve the deficit on their first look at the target on seven.
Captain Conor Griffin was fouled to the right of the goal, before Paddy Woulfe sent over the resulting free.
Alan Cawley picked up the first of his own hat-trick of points eight minutes in. Castleconnor leading by three at the turn of the tenth minute.
Curley and Eoin Doherty ex- changed frees for either side before Griffin, with nothing on in front of him, sent over an impressive score from distance on 17. But Castleconnor restored that three point lead and quickly stretched it to four on the next attack.
Langan knew exactly where the posts were as he grabbed the ball and in one motion, turned and fired over Aidan Devaney’s crossbar. The same man repeating the trick soon after.
Castleconnor were never behind in this game and strengthened their hold on proceedings ten minutes from the break.
John McDonnell powering his way through a static Calry defence, allowing the midfielder ample room to lace the ball into Devaney’s top corner from the edge of the square.
A startled Calry defence could only watch on as they fell further behind two minutes later.
Carrabine’s initial effort at goal was blocked on the line by an alert Calry defender but there was nothing they could do as the ball wriggled its way to the back post for the incoming Langan to bundle the ball home.
It was all Castleconnor for the remainder of the half. Carrabine and Kevin McDonnell adding two further scores as a slumbering Calry sent over two bad wides in quick succession.
Barry O’Boyle finally broke the north Sligo men’s run of 15 minutes without a score in injury time. However Castleconnor looked like they were about to run away with it at 2-10 to 0-4 at the break.
Credit to Dermot Horan and Keith Farragher’s side who did rally in the second period, outscoring their opponents by six points.
Carrabine’s early point made it look like things were only going to get worse for Calry, but a 15 minute period wherein Castleconnor failed to find a single score gave St Joseph’s hope as they ate into the lead.
Doherty sent one over from a difficult angle on 33, while further scores from Woulfe from a grounded free and a free from the hands of Doherty narrowed the gap to ten points with six minutes of the second half gone.
A superb point from Woulfe, supplemented by a Doherty setpiece after Ronan Keane was black-carded for a cynical foul on Barry O’Boyle helped things along.
Doherty and Griffin did their best to keep Calry motoring with a score a piece each. Castleconnor now leading by seven.
They had their goalkeeper Colin Gordon to thank on 51.
The net minder acrobatically punching Ciaran Stenson’s drive at goal away for a 45. The unmistakable figure of Devaney sending over the resulting kick.
Cawley finally broke Castleconnor’s dry spell on 52. But Griffin’s seemingly nonchalant tap over and another Woufle free offered Calry some hope as they continued to trail. Five points the difference as the game entered injury time.
Langan settled Castleconnor nerves with his third and final point after he latched on to Paul Sweeney’s hook over the top.
The determined Griffin sparked into life once more with another score in the first minute of added time.
Five points down, desperate for a goal and with time slipping away, Calry launched a 45 into a packed square but a forest of defenders stood in their way to divert the ball beyond the end line.
The blue and yellow went with the same tactic again but a ruckus inside the Castleconnor area produced a foul for the defending side.
With one foot across the end line, Carrabine struck once more to erase any fears of a Calry comeback.