Charlestown escape to victory
Charlestown’s Niall Murphy is closely marked by Kilmeena’s Liam Moore during the Connacht Gold Mayo SFC tie at Fr. O’Hara Park, Charlestown, last Saturday evening. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Just when Kilmeena had finally reeled in Charlestown, disaster struck for the West Mayo men.
An inspirational Jack Carney two-pointer had levelled this game after 58 minutes and, right then, you’d have fancied Kilmeena to drive on and kick a winner.
Instead, it came at the other end, and in cruel circumstances for Kilmeena.
Ben Crean found Paul Towey inside who returned the ball to Crean who headed for goal. Kilmeena’s Jack Mulchrone hit him with a perfectly timed shoulder just outside the large parallelogram. Crean somehow found the wherewithal to get up and attempt a fisted point.
It hit the far post and bounced back dangerously across the square. Jack Carney was back there diligently helping out but in his attempt to get the ball, it flicked into the net off his hand.
It was the most fortuitous of goals for Charlestown and the cruellest of blows for Carney and Kilmeena. He is their totem and owes his club and county nothing but that won’t diminish his pain.
But when they reflect on the game, Kilmeena will know it was their shooting that let them down. They scored with only 40 percent of their shots, 10 scores from 25 shots, as well as too many poor turnovers.
Wind-assisted Charlestown led 1-8 to 0-4 at the break. Paul Towey was giving Kilmeena all sorts of headaches. He finished with 1-5 to his name but if he scored with every shot he took, he would have hit an incredible 3-13. Kilmeena just couldn’t get to grips with him.
His goal came from an exceptional diagonal pass from Gareth O’Donnell from the number 10 position to the back post. Towey had been fouled and pointed the free for a virtually identical pass a minute before but this time there was no stopping him, and he finished superbly past Paul Groden.
Groden had to be at his best to deny Towey on two other occasions.
Kilmeena were very wasteful at the other end, scoring just four times from 14 shots but a point from Caolach Halligan on 29 minutes had them just 1-4 to 0-3 behind, a good position with the wind to be in their favour after the break.
But two late two-pointers from Conor McArdle and Towey, after a sumptuous dummy bounce, either side of a single from the impressive Conor Madden at the other end, left the gap at seven at the break.
By the end of the third quarter, that lead was virtually wiped out.
Four minutes into the half, goalkeeper Paul Groden came forward to convert a penalty after John Ryan was fouled and points from John McGlynn, Conor Madden and Colin Hastings had them within one point.
Charlestown suffered what looked like it would be a mortal blow midway through the half too when Paul Towey was taken off after twisting his ankle in the ground. However, he received treatment off the pitch and came back on. He was clearly impeded but his presence was decisive in the hosts holding on.
Kilmeena were dominating possession but were wasteful with turnovers and shots off target.
Charlestown, meanwhile, were efficient with their attacks. After Kilmeena got within one, they scored with their next two shots, Paddy Goldrick (their first score of the half 16 minutes in) and Alan Woods finding the mark.
Caolach Halligan swung over a fine two-pointer to bring the gap back to one but then Charlestown were awarded a penalty after Towey was fouled.
We’re not sure if a goalkeeper has ever scored a penalty and saved one in the same senior championship game in Mayo but Paul Groden achieved that with a good save from Gareth O’Donnell’s effort.
But Kilmeena failed to clear their lines and O’Donnell pointed well from 35 metres out to leave two between them with five minutes left.
Jack Carney had the close attentions of Tomás Goldrick to deal with for the hour. Goldrick focused on nothing else, but Carney and the Mayo star didn’t exert a huge influence on the first 55 minutes, happy to be the foil for teammates to find space.
But with his side two points down after 58 minutes, Carney decided it was time to act, getting away from Goldrick enough to get a shot off and swung over an inspirational two-pointer to level the game.
But disaster was to follow as Kilmeena are still waiting to break their duck in the senior championship.
They were very unlucky not to stay up in 2024 and this year, too, look very well able to compete at this level but they know they will need to be more efficient in front of goal.
Charlestown, meanwhile, go into their final game with high flying Claremorris with a quarter-final berth still within reach.
Scorers – Charlestown: Paul Towey 1-2-1 (1tpf, 1f), Conor McArdle 0-1-0, Patrick Goldrick, Gareth O’Donnell, Alan Woods, Matthew Lenehen 0-0-1 each.
Kilmeena: Caolach Halligan 0-1-2, Paul Groden 1-0-0pen, Conor Madden 0-0-2, Jack Carney 0-2-0, Colin Hastings, Liam Moore and John McGlynn (f) 0-0-1 each.
Charlestown: Kenneth Brennan; Tadhg Horkan, Owen Flannery, Ben Conway; Jack Corley, Niall Murphy, Alan Woods; Thomas Holton, Tomás Goldrick; Ruairí Cullen, Matthew Lenehen, Patrick Goldrick; Gareth O’Donnell, Paul Towey, Conor McArdle.
Subs: Ben Crean (for McArdle 51), Eoin Murphy (for Holton 57).
Kilmeena: Paul Groden; Ciarán Kilcoyne, Conor Madden, Luke Durkan; Colin Hastings, Jack Mulchrone, John Ryan; Jack Carney, Ronan O’Donnell; Seán Ryder, Liam Moore, Conor Kelly; Caolach Halligan, John McGlynn, Darragh Keaveney.
Subs: Darragh Slattery (for S Ryder ht), Cormac O’Malley (for Kelly 42), Kevin Ryder (for O’Donnell 49).
REF: Kevin Connelly (Hollymount/Carramore)
