Castlerea remain on course despite patchy display

Castlerea St. Kevin’s………………..2-5

St. Brigid’s……………………………...0-7

Callington Ltd. Intermediate Football Championship Quarter-Final

It wasn’t a classic. But, from a Castlerea St. Kevin’s perspective, it didn’t need to be as they booked a semi-final showdown with Pádraig Pearses.

Adam McDermott’s 1-1 salvo before half time was a pivotal turning point, even though his side’s one-point interval lead was quickly wiped out. But the subsequent 1-4 Castlerea plundered without reply in a 21-minute spell during the second half ultimately gave them the breathing space they desired.

But there was another sliding doors moment. Castlerea goalkeeper David Farrell was the man who transformed a potentially hard luck story into a successful chapter in his side’s championship journey.

With Castlerea trailing by 0-3 to 0-0, they were in trouble. They were very poor up front in a first half where their half-forward line dropped far too deep and gave no support to their two man inside line of Darren and Adam McDermott. Castlerea kicked four wides and dropped five efforts short in the first half alone.

The fact that five of St. Brigid’s efforts travelled outside the sticks helped their opponents cling on for much of the first half.

In the 26th minute, Farrell produced the biggest moment of the game. St. Brigid’s saw Jimmy Curley’s long-range effort crash off the post. Eamonn Cunnane reacted quickest to grab the rebound. With the goal gaping, Cunnane was hauled back by Frank Hester, leading to a St. Brigid’s penalty.

Up stepped Kealan Byrne to strike an effort towards the bottom left corner. However, Farrell showed either great anticipation or simply guessed correctly (this reporter will go with the first option), as he pushed Byrne’s effort to safety.

After Cunnane was booked for a late hit on a Castlerea defender moments afterwards, the temperature was cranked up. That save ultimately kicked Castlerea into action as with defences on top, the mixture of bad blood from Cunnane’s booking and a sense of being let off the hook helped galvanised them.

Adam McDermott slotted over a free in the 29th minute for his side’s first score of the game. Moments later, he was gifted a route to goal.

Evan Gallagher’s short kickout only found McDermott who galloped through before making the net dance. This helped Castlerea lead 1-1 to 0-3 at the break as St. Brigid’s were left to rue five wides and that penalty that went awry.

Winning turnovers was the order of the day in the second half as both sides sought to break on the counter, especially with each outfit setting up with a packed defence. Half-time substitute Brian McDonnell equalised early in the final period after David Quinn lost possession deep in St. Brigid’s’ territory when he ought to have tried his luck from in front of the posts.

In the 35th minute, David Cunniffe set up Cunnane to curl over as St. Brigid’s appeared on course to come from behind after a strong final half display for the second weekend running. However, they kicked three wides in the first seven minutes of the second half. Just like the first period, St. Brigid’s erratic shooting gave Castlerea the belief they needed.

Dara Bruen’s men held the Kiltoom outfit scoreless for 27 minutes as they kicked 1-4 without reply during this period. They began to win the crowd-pleasing turnovers and although their attack didn’t set the world ablaze, the sparks they showed up front were enough to see them through.

St. Brigid’s young side struggled with the extra ferocity Castlerea brought to the table as the winners slowly but surely chipped away at the lead. Unsurprisingly, Adam McDermott led the way as he slotted a free before Darren McDermott tied the game after 47 minutes with a sweet right footed effort. A classy Adam McDermott score was followed by an Aaron McDermott free before Castlerea secured their semi-final berth in style.

A well-worked team move culminated in David Quinn finding substitute Peter Farrell who blasted low to the net.

St. Brigid’s finished with 14 men as Shane Keenan saw red for an off the ball incident. Despite late scores from Ronan Doyle and Jack McDonnell, Castlerea subsequently passed this test of their credentials.

CASTLEREA ST. KEVIN’S: D. Farrell; F. Hester, J. Keane, T. Callaghan; P. Joyce, S. Joyce, D. Quinn; J. Hester, M. Conroy; S. Stenson, N. Bligh, D. Brennan; E. O’Connell, Adam McDermott (1-3, two frees), D. McDermott (0-1). Subs used: Aaron McDermott (0-1, one free) for Stenson (37 mins), P. Farrell (1-0) for Bligh (37 mins), J. McDermott for O’Connell (39 mins), J. Henry for Hester (45 mins), S. Keenan for Joyce (55 mins).

ST. BRIGID’S: E. Gallagher; D. Carroll, R. Smith, P. Domican; S. Fuery, J. Curley, S. Keenan; B. McDonnell, T. O’Brien; K. Byrne (0-1), D. Cunniffe (0-1), D. Meeley; G. Byrne, E. Cunnane (0-1), B. Nestor (0-1). Subs used: B. O’Hara Duggan for O’Brien (half-time), J. McDonnell (0-2, one free), for K. Byrne (half-time), C. Gleeson for G. Byrne (half-time), R. Doyle (0-1), for Fuery (49 mins), P. Higgins for Curley (52 mins).

Wides: Castlerea St. Kevin’s – 5; St. Brigid’s – 8.

Yellow cards: Castlerea St. Kevin’s – Hester (26 mins); St. Brigid’s – Cunnane (27 mins), Curley (43 mins), Smith (45 mins), Meeley (59 mins).

Black cards: Castlerea St. Kevin’s – none; St. Brigid’s – none.

Red cards: Castlerea St. Kevin’s – none; St. Brigid’s – Keenan (63 mins).

Referee: D. McDermott.

Player of the Match: Adam McDermott (Castlerea St. Kevin’s).

It was no surprise that Adam McDermott led the charge for Castlerea.

When his side were in desperate need of a score, he was the man who came up trumps. Curling over the free to get his side off the mark and then following it up seconds later with a goal was a huge moment before the break. He kicked his side’s first score of the second half and curled over a sweet left-footed effort to give his side a second-half lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

David Farrell’s penalty save alone earns him a mention, while Seán Joyce and David Quinn were solid at the back for the winners.

For St. Brigid’s, Shane Keenan was his side’s best on show until his dismissal, while Ruairi Smith, Thomas O’Brien and half-time substitute Jack McDonnell battled gamely.