It being my birthday and all what better way to treat myself than taking in a Football match and hitting the beer afterwards.I won't dwell on the beer side of things other than to say that ere the night was over I waddled like a duck.
In a well appointed Bective we lined out as follows.
Jennings
Carty Harte Newman
Dempsey Jun. Finn Stephens O Shea
Bomber Lukie Martyn
Waters Ted Marty Garry
Kane Paddy Kenneally Baby Doc.
Those in the know reckoned that Castletown were qualified before the match began and that we needed either a draw or a win to qualify.
We are unbeaten in the Championship but are demoted to Div.3 in the League,a situation that is the subject of much head scratching hereabouts.An enigma within a dilemma as Someone said once/.
Castletown are on paper a mu ch better team than us and many peoples favourites to win ultimate honours.Although there is a growing consensus that Ballivor.operating in Div,4 are the emerging favourites.Those that know swear that Tipp man O Halloran.who it is said drove KIldalkey to SHC glory in recent years is now weaving his magic with BAllivor.We shall see.
Rumour has it that Barry Callaghan's son is emulating his dad with Ballivor's under 16,s.
From the throw in and within minutes Town pulled the point trigger and shot over from play.Mistakes aplenty abounded as passes were mistimed before Dempsey drove through and tipped over the equalising score.
As play swung from one end of the field to the other the Town again tipped over a minor .We started to get our game together and scored the next four points in a row before they scrabbled one back to leave the half time score 0-5 to 0-3 in our favour.
Although the play was intense the quality was not top drawer.
The second half resumed as the first ended with the Town first to register.Then Mark Kane broke his cherry and scored his first IFC goal with considerable aplomb and the minimum of fuss.I know full well that his Australian resident sister will be doing cartwheels as she has a fierce interest in the Dunderry teams.
Mark is a coming lad and is game and fast but a bit on the light side at present.Tiochadh se roimh fada.That goal will do his confidence a world of good.
Castletown raised their game and secured another minor before we steadied up with 2 well taken scores thar an treasnan.
Then they took over and we were under sustained and unrelenting pressure as they tacked on three successive points as the end drew near.And they should have drawn the match except that Finn won an impossible ball against the run of play from a marauding Castletown team and we held out by our fingertips for a just about deserved win.
We won by a point on the scoreline 1-7 to 0-9.
Our scorers were Paddy Kenneally (0-4.2.F)Kane (1-0).Dempsey (0-1).Waters (0-1).
Liam Dempsey,J.P.Kenneally ,Slatts and Thomas Doc,were introduced during the second half and played tear parts in securing victory.
The name Bellew is synonymous with Castletown and the tradition continues with sixteen year old William ,eldest son of Liam and Maeve from Mayo playing at number 5,where he held Waiters scoreless until hauled off towards the end.Another Mayo connection is Paul Cribben (number 10) whose father Willie I soldiered with on the playing fields of Fingal and further s afield in years of yore.
The way things worked out was that a resurgent St.Michaels are gone ,much to the relief of all who have qualified.
This was an average game.Jenning kept us in the hunt with three unreal point blank saves.Our half back line was again the bedrock of the team'Midfield did well and both Bomber and Lukie delivered.
The retuning Carty had a good first half and maybe tired a little after that.
Some say that Paddy K.is better than Dowd,Barry Callaghan and Sean Kelly were at his age.My own opinion is that if he can stay injury free he has the brightest of futures.
Time will tell.
We badly miss the emigrated John Kelleher.the injured Davy Mac Cormack and USA resident Stephen Coogan.
With a full squad available we will be a force to be reckoned with.
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