Kilmainhamwood 0-6 Cortown 2-14

A two-goal salvo from the returning Gary Coyne propelled Cortown to their first win over Kilmainhamwood this year after playing out two draws already in the opening months of the season.

The sides met less than a fortnight ago in Division 5 of the league in a damp and soggy Kilmainhamwood. Fast forward two weeks and the venue was sun-drenched and pitch in much better condition.

A Cortown side perfected balance with youth and experience enjoyed a fine start to proceedings. Davy Rispin, Anthony Boyle and Chairperson Skipper Coyne all raised white flags in the opening exchanges.

After showing profligacy in front of the posts, the hosts eventually found range thanks to the old reliables in Alan Carolan and the classy David Russell to narrow the gap to one.

Rispin converted a mark following a nice pick-out from the hardworking Aaron Smith. Raiding corner back Charlie Smith also chipped in with two exquisite points in quick succession to stretch the lead.

Returning Jockey Luke Carberry, carrying 11.5 stone marked his return following a series of nasty injuries with a neat point to extend the lead. Early substitute Gary Coyne, making his eighth comeback from retirement pointed a routine free on the stroke of half time to give the visitors a comfortable 0-8 to 0-3 half time advantage.

The hungry Coyne sailed over a couple of scores in a row at the beginning of the second half. Big Declan Coyne benefited from a beautiful Cormac 'Woolly' Farrell pass to fire over another shortly after.

A deflected Coyne effort from a narrow angle whizzed past 'The Wood' netminder and into the back of the net to effectively put the game beyond the men in white if it wasn't already.

Russell stopped the rot for Kilmainhamwood but Rispin responded in kind down the other end for Martin McGovern's troops.
A feature of the game was the restarts of King of the Frogs Butch Casserly who rolled back the years once more. Indeed Martin Henry who turns 49 in July, curled over a vintage left footed shot to add his name to the scoresheet.

Coyne then showed the type of clinical his beloved Liverpool have been missing in recent weeks with a fine finish from a poor kickout - chipping delicately over the helpless Goalkeeper - something similar to what happened to the hapless Derry Goalkeeper later that evening.

Cortown could and probably should have added a third green flag but Farrell's brilliant piece of improvisation deserved better than Kevin McGuinness' woeful finish. The Faithful's Finest made a real mess of the opportunity following some unselfish play from the iconic Farrell.

It was academic in any such case as Cortown recorded a facile victory in the basking North Meath sunshine. The win caps off a fine week for the club with victories over Moylagh and Kilmainhamwood in the respective League's. Syddan and Summerhill wait in the wings in the coming week for a Cortown club motoring rather well.

Cortown: Butch Casserly; Aaron Smith, Daragh Smith, Charlie Smith (0-2); Skipper Coyne (0-1), John McGearty, Ciaran Keating; Decky Clarke, Declan Coyne (0-1); Anthony Boyle (0-1), Davy Rispin (0-3 one mark), Ivor O'Halloran; Luke Carberry (0-1), Stephen Fitzmaurice, Kevin McGuinness.

Subs: Cormac Farrell, Gary Coyne (2-4 one free), Martin Henry (0-1).

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