14-man Knockmore battle back from the brink
Paul Towey's six points from frees weren't sufficient for Charlestown who suffered a defeat after extra-time to David McHale and his Knockmore teammates in the Michael Walsh Cup final. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Sixty minutes of football wasn’t enough to separate Charlestown and Knockmore on Saturday, but it was the latter who fought valiantly, having lost Mayo attacker Aiden Orme to a first-half red card, to lift the Michael Walsh Cup.
A late mistake by the Charlestown defence allowed Darren McHale to send the match to extra-time, with Knockmore displaying better endurance.
The 2020 and ’21 county senior champions had started like a house on fire, with Aiden Orme pointing inside a minute after a kick-pass from Charlie Bourke. Bourke hit a goal a minute later on the counter-attack, with a solo all he needed to compose himself before a left-footed finish into the bottom right.
Charlestown responded with their first point as Thomas Meehan curled over a lovely score from the left wing and while that was replied to by Knockmore midfielder Aaron Timlin, the first of Paul Towey’s six converted frees flew over for Charlestown.
Peter Naughton’s one-two with Orme from a free resulted in his opening point but Charlestown narrowed their arrears to the minimum when corner-forward Joe McBrien finished an excellent goal, collecting a quick Towey sideline and spinning Marcus Park before slotting beneath goalkeeper Ryan McDonnell. Charlestown levelled through Towey’s free before their run turned red-hot when one of their star performers, midfielder Matthew Lenehan, buried his side’s second goal off the back of Towey’s delivery.
Adding to Knockmore’s woes was that moments earlier, Aiden Orme had received a straight red card from referee Neil Cooney for something off the ball. There had been no shouts from the opposition and Orme himself looked incredulous but Knockmore were reduced to fourteen, although only a minute later Charlestown veteran Aidan Higgins received a black card to spend ten minutes in the bin.
Naughton scored two frees but they only preceded Charlestown’s third goal, which made it seem like an upset was on the cards. The impressive Paddy Goldrick finished the move but again Paul Towey was central, spotting a lovely pass from a quick free that allowed Goldrick to lace his shot into the bottom right corner after a dummy.
Charlestown were now 3-3 to 1-6 in front, however, Darren McHale got his first goal as Knockmore replied quickly, finishing into the bottom right from a tight left angle. And when the North Mayo side ended the half with a Naughton free, that put them a point to the good.
Charlestown wing-back Niall Towey opened the second period with a lovely curling point after a run down the right after which Towey converted his third free and Goldrick struck a scintillating point, swerving the ball off his laces. Another Towey free kept the run going with Charlestown now three points ahead, but Knockmore stopped the rot through midfielder Joe O’Neill’s point.
Paddy Lenehan’s reply kept Sarsfields a goal to the good and although Connell Dempsey and Peter Naughton entwined to set-up corner-back Sean Holmes for an excellent point, two more quickfire scores by Lenehan pushed the Sarsfields lead out to four.
That was halved by back-to-back frees from Dempsey, and although a long range Paul Towey free extended Charlestown’s advantage again, the East Mayo outfit were about to self-destruct. With one minute of stoppage time played, a loose and weak pass back to Paddy Walsh saw Darren McHale nip in and score the levelling goal.
Knockmore could even have won the match in normal time but Dempsey missed a free from the edge of the ‘D’. The same player made no mistake however with his first free of extra-time, but neither did Paul Towey. That, though, would be Charlestown’s only score of the extra twenty minutes whereas Darren McHale, Charlie Bourke and Dempsey again, a free, all scored to leave Knockmore in control, with their fitness telling and Charlestown dying out.
Further points in the second period from Dempsey and substitute Oliver Armstrong ensured the Michael Walsh Cup was headed for Knockmore.
Scorers – Knockmore: Darren McHale 2-1, Charlie Bourke 1-1, Connell Dempsey 0-5f, Peter Naughton 0-4 (3f), Ryan McDonnell (’45), Aiden Orme, Sean Holmes, Aaron Timlin, Joe O’Neill and Oliver Armstrong 0-1 each.
Charlestown: Paul Towey 0-6f, Patrick Goldrick 1-1, Joe McBrien and Matthew Lenehan 1-0 each, Patrick Lenehan 0-3, Niall Towey and Thomas Meehan 0-1 each.
Knockmore: Ryan McDonnell; David McHale, Marcus Park, Sean Holmes; Sean Ruttledge, David McHale (c), Pearse Ruttledge; Joe O’Neill, Aaron Timlin; Connell Dempsey, Liam Durkan, Peter Naughton; Darren McHale, Aiden Orme, Charlie Bourke. Subs: Adam Battle, Oliver Armstrong, Fergal Keane, Declan Melvin, Dylan Coleman, Adam Naughton.
Charlestown: Paddy Walsh; Owen Flannery, Gerald McLoughlin, Ben Conway; Niall Towey, Jack Corley, Michael Marren; Matthew Lenehan, Kiefer Craig; Paddy Lenehan, Aidan Higgins, Thomas Meehan; Paddy Goldrick, Paul Towey, Joe McBrien. Subs: Sean Kilroy, Richie Murphy, Gavin Honeyman.
REF: Neil Cooney (Achill)
