Goals are key as Claremorris advance past the Coveys
Niall Hurley, who has another three years of under-21 football ahead of him, scored five points to help Claremorris reach this year's Mayo U21 'A' semi-finals.
It’s onwards and upwards for the U21 footballers of Claremorris as they swept aside the challenge of Westport to set up a plumb semi-final tie against Moy Davitts next weekend. The South Mayo side made the early Sunday morning journey west to St Patrick’s Park and answered every question that was asked of them, especially during the midway stages of the second-half, eventually freewheeling their way towards the finish line.
Once Claremorris scored their second goal ten minutes from the end and went five clear, Westport’s challenge faded. Being reduced to fourteen men late on, made the home side’s mountain even steeper to climb.
Conditions for this time of the year were ideal, although light passing showers did develop, but this didn’t stop Claremorris from roaring out of the blocks and with 19 minutes played, they led 1-6 to 0-2 to leave Westport shell-shocked. Darragh Joyce was his side's most lethal forward, kicking two early points, one from play and a free, and that was followed immediately by two from another of the club's exciting talents, Niall Hurley. Then came the first of the game's goals in the 12th minute, when Stephen Gill finished to the Westport net from close range after excellent play in midfield by Darragh Joyce who had set the move going.
A Cathal Joyce free and a Niall Hurley mark quickly followed and many of the fine attendance were beginning to feel this could be over as a contest. Only Finbar McLaughlin and John Grady had registered a point apiece at this stage for the home side but just when Westport heads were beginning to drop, came a huge glimmer of hope when Claremorris were temporarily reduced to fourteen men with the black-carding of Craig Cassidy eight minutes before the break.
Hope turned to optimism quite quickly as Westport players such as Cian Mulchrone and Malcolm MacEvilly began to assert themselves more on proceedings and three straight points in the closing stages gave them hope, now only trailing by four, 1-6 to 0-5, heading to the dressing-room at half-time.
Tim Campion, Joe Grady and MacEvilly raised the white flags to make the extra man count on the scoreboard. And they could have been even closer as Claremorris goalkeeper Thomas Kean prevented a certain goal when Campion was sent through, in what was one of a number of good interceptions by Kean throughout the game.
The third quarter was going to be crucial in deciding this tie and as it transpired, the Coveys still trailed 1-8 to 0-8 with fifteen minutes gone in the second-half. And while Danny Brennan and Ray Walsh did hit points in that period, both from play, along with a John Grady free, to help narrow the gap, they needed more and it just didn’t come as their challenge began to fade from here.
Once Niall Hurley added his fourth point of the day, Claremorris also had two more good goal chances but Patrick Kerrigan kept out certain three-pointers to keep his side's hopes alive. However, that all changed nine minutes from time when a ‘mark’ was won magnificently in the air by Niall Hurley and his resulting kick somehow finished up in the back of the Westport net, via a touch from Cathal Joyce in a crowded goalmouth.
Clear daylight now existed between the sides that was never threatened from here on. Late frees by Darragh Joyce and Hurley again sealed the win while Westport’s John Grady was sent off late on after receiving his second yellow card.
Scorers – Claremorris: Cathal Joyce 1-2 (0-2f), Niall Hurley 0-5 (3f, 1m), Stephen Gill 1-0, Darragh Beirne 0-3 (2f).
Westport: John Grady 0-3 (2f), Joe Grady 0-2, Finbar McLaughlin, Tim Campion, Malcolm MacEvilly, Danny Brennan and Ray Walsh 0-1 each.
Claremorris: Thomas Kean; Joe Gilmore, Daragh Fitzpatrick, David Slattery; Craig Cassidy, Rio Mortimer, Adam Howard; Darragh Joyce, Paul Gilmore; Darragh Beirne, Conor Og Dennedy, Johnny Cummins; Cathal Joyce, Niall Hurley, Stephen Gill. Subs: Harry Smyth (for Gill 45), Sean O’Connell (for Howard 45), Cathal Finnerty (for Fitzpatrick 55).
Westport: Patrick Kerrigan; Oisin Ryall, Adam Bourke, Kevin Gannon; Leon Askin, Joe Grady, Lorcan Silke; Cian Mulchrone, Danny Brennan; Tim Campion, Cian Grimes, Malcolm MacEvilly; Finbar McLaughlin, Ray Walsh, John Grady. Subs: Darragh Hoban (for Campion 34), Anthony Browne (for Askin 34), Sam Walsh (for Grimes 47), Eoghan Ketterick (for Mulchrone 37-inj), Joshua Lally (for Gannon 60+1).
REF: Liam Devenney (Ballina)
