First-half goals Knock' down Charlestown
Knockmore’s Aidan Orme, who scored 1-4, breaks away from Charlestown’s Jack Corley during the Mayo Senrior Laague game at St. Joseph’s GAA Grounds, Knockmore, last Saturday evening Picture: David Farrell Photography
Knockmore returned to winning ways as first half goals from Aiden Orme and Pearse Ruttledge set them on the way to a comfortable league victory over Charlestown.
Conditions were more fitting to the time of year when the Mayo club championship heats up rather than the beginning of summer, with heavy rainfall before throw-in while a strong crossfield breeze across the open pitch made life particularly difficult for the visitors, who were heavily reliant on Jack Mahon, the full-forward scoring all but one of Charlestown’s points.
The hosts familiarity with how the inclement conditions can dictate proceedings at St Joseph’s Park was a significant advantage to Knockmore, Aiden Orme and Caolan Hopkins taking full advantage to score 1-10 between them.
Hopkins and Orme, a free, got the first points of the evening, with Pearse Ruttledge making it three on the spin on nine minutes. The move of the game arrived before the end of the first quarter. A defence splitting pass by Liam Durkan picked out David McHale, who then played in Ruttledge to fire it into an empty net to make it 1-3 to 0-0.
Charlestown hit five wides in the opening quarter but were back to within a point of Knockmore three minutes later. Mahon sent over his first two placed balls followed by a monster two-point free. Ciaran Honeyman then scored Charlestown’s only point from play, but Knockmore netted their second major on 21 minutes. Aiden Orme had initially found the net, but the referee had already blown the whistle for a Knockmore penalty. The former Mayo panelist stepped up and while Kenneth Brennan saved the penalty kick, Orme scored the rebound to Knockmore’s relief and likely the match official also.
Knockmore kicked on from here to score the last three points of the half. Orme was involved in all three efforts, scoring two while another from a quick free played in Connell Dempsey for a point as the home side led 2-6 to 0-5 at the interval.
Any faint hope of Charlestown getting back into this contest was effectively ended ten minutes into the second half as a point from Conor Flynn and a trio of Caolan Hopkins frees stretched Knockmore’s lead to ten. Jack Mahon’s fourth free on 43 minutes was Charlestown’s first score of the second half and their first in 25 minutes but there was no let up from Knockmore in the final quarter as Orme, Hopkins and Dylan Coleman rounded off an impressive win for Ray Dempsey’s side.
