Close shave for the Sarsfields By Anthony Hennigan
AIB Connacht Club SFC --Semi-Final
Charlestown 1-9 Castlerea 0-11
NEVER perhaps did one moment suggest so true the cliché that “a wide is as good as a point”.
Surely had sub Seamus Stenson’s 62nd minute scoring attempt into an unguarded goal drifted outside the Charlestown posts instead of high against the right upright and back into play, then Castlerea would now be preparing for a Connacht final. The Roscommon champions led by a point - 0-9 to 1-5 - at that late, late stage, and had the ball indeed drifted wide if not over, then referee Eamonn O’Grady might only have allowed time for the kick-out. However, when the ball rebounded into the waiting arms of Charlestown full-back Darragh McMeel, Sarsfields cleverly worked the ball upfield and ended the same flowing movement with Tony Mulligan’s equalising point. After lengthy treatment to Charlestown veterans David Tiernan and John Casey, both of whom shipped heavy knocks in that most frantic of 30 seconds and who were forced concede further involvement to their injuries, there was time only for Geoffrey Claffey’s kick-out, and extra-time was called for.
It was then, for the first 10 minutes at least, that the real Charlestown stood up and was counted. A point apiece by Paul and Anthony Mulligan, and another by Tom Parsons elicited a response of only two second half extra-time singles by Castlerea, as the Mayo champions scraped their way to a Connacht final showdown against reigning champions Corofin. Not even the home advantage of Fr O’Hara Park will make Charlestown favourites for victory on November 22.
The winners were held scoreless for all of 35 minutes either side of the interval and the losers for almost 40 between the second halves of normal and extra-time, yet far from a drab affair, this game contained everything and more of what a good championship contest should offer. And with a solid, carpet-like surface and a sunsplashed afternoon to boot, the conditions at Kiltoom were at odds with what one normally associates autumn/winter club football to be.
There were signs too, that the day’s scoring would be higher than is the norm at this time of year, when five flags were raised within as many minutes of throw-in. These earliest indications were to prove misleading however.
Ger Heneghan, from a free, and Enda Kenny, ending a move with Heneghan, Nigel Dineen and Sean Ryan, the instigator, at its core, kicked Castlerea two points in front before an Ollie Conway goal wrestled control Charlestown’s way with just three minutes played. Conway had gathered Paul Mulligan’s delivery and blasted to the net and although Heneghan levelled from play, Conway could have raised green again moments after but drilled the ball over Claffey’s bar.
A Richard Haran free helped the Greens into a 1-2 to 0-3 lead by the 9th minute, and the two points difference remained after 22 minutes when Heneghan, a ‘45’, and Tom Parsons exchanged flags. That latter score, however, was Charlestown’s last until the 54th minute, by which time points before half-time by Ger Heneghan, a free, and Sean Ryan, and after by Heneghan, two frees, and Seamus Heneghan had driven Denis Kearney’s team into a 0-9 to 1-3 lead.
Castlerea were coping well despite the first half loss of injured young full-back, Neil Collins. Gareth McElhone and Dermot Lyons were mopping up the breaks in his absence and Micheál Killilea and Enda Kenny were proving game opponents of Parsons and Tiernan at midfield. And although superb marking by Aidan Higgins rendered Castlerea captain, the experienced Nigel Dineen, anonymous for long stretches, Ger Heneghan, in his dual with Enda Casey, looked every inch the county forward.
Charlestown, in contrast, now looked bereft of attacking ideas, especially since the once regular forays of wing-back Dermot Higgins’ had long since dried up. The Mulligan brothers rushed a couple of decent scoring chances, corner-forward Brian O’Connell was bundled into a dead-end and the athletic Richard Haran was rarely able find space to stretch his legs but kicked wide from a dead-centre long-range free. Worse still, frustration was creeping into Charlestown’s play like when David Tiernan, one of five Sars-fields players booked, reacted angrily to his second ridiculously adjudged over-carry, one that resulted in Castlerea’s ninth point on 40 minutes.
That, though, was Castlerea’s last score until five minutes from the end of extra-time as the Charlestown spirit surfaced when most needed, epitomised amongst others by the sterling efforts of substitute defender Kevin Deignan.
Tony Mulligan, collecting Mark Caffrey’s lengthy pass, ended his side’s drought by screwing over from close range and just 30 seconds of normal time remained when a Paul Mulligan free reduced the arrears to the minimum. That margin was then bridged three minutes into stoppage time by Tony’s last gasp point, yet another made possible by the astute Caffrey’s final pass.
The pitch by now resembled a battleground with bodies strewn everywhere. Charlestown midfielder David Tiernan (ankle) was helped from the field and his teammate, goalkeeper John Casey (back), limped off after a collision with Seamus Stenson. Casey had advanced some 30 metres in an effort to fist to safety and landed heavily as Stenson gathered the spillage only to fire against the woodwork. The battle had still to be won.
The fight-back had rid Charlestown of their inhibitions and with Tom Parsons now at the heart of their every move, they tore into the Saints to edge three clear by the turn of ends. Ultimately, that surge was enough, and despite Nigel Dineen, now at full-forward, and substitute John Duggan hitting a point apiece in response, Dineen fisted a goal chance wide and Kevin Deignan expertly timed his rob of Seamus Heneghan a minute from the end to deny Castlerea at least a replay.
Rarely does a team come so near yet finish so far from the glory.
SCORERS - Charlestown: Ollie Conway 1-1, Tony Mulligan 0-3, Paul Mulligan (2f) and Tom Parsons 0-2 each, Richard Haran 0-1f.
Castlerea: Ger Heneghan 0-6 (4f, 1 ‘45), Enda Kenny, Sean Ryan, Nigel Dineen, Seamus Heneghan and John Duggan 0-1 each.
CHARLESTOWN: John Casey; Enda Casey, Darragh McMeel, David Caffrey; Dermot Higgins, Aidan Higgins, Colm Maye, David Tiernan, Tom Parsons; Richard Haran, Mark Caffrey, Paul Mulligan; Brian O’Connell, Tony Mulligan, Ollie Conway. Subs: Kevin Deignan (for Maye 40), Martin Mulvaney (for O’Connell 47), Eoghan Gallagher (for Conway 58), Sean Morris (for Tiernan 60+3), David Sloyan (for J Casey (f/t), Sean Lenehan (for D Caffrey 73), Michael Divilly (for D Higgins 79).
CASTLEREA: Geoffrey Claffey; Padraic Duignan, Neil Collins, Gareth McElhone; Dermot Lyons, Cathal Dineen, Eddie Creaton; Micheál Killilea, Enda Kenny; Sean Ryan, Nigel Dineen, Seamus Heneghan; Ronan Curran, David Scahill, Ger Heneghan. Subs: Neil Curran (for Collins 24-inj), Seamus Stenson (for R Curran 58), John Duggan (for Kenny 70), Michael Sweeney (for Lyons 70), Bernard Carty (for Ryan 72).
