Oldcastle 2-14  St Marys 2-15 

St Marys maintained their 100% record in Division 6 of the league following a hard fought victory over hosts Oldcastle on Thursday night in Millbrook.

Marys made the long trip to the North of the County light on numbers and minus more than half a dozen regulars due to a spate of injuries and other commitments. 

The game itself was an enjoyable and physically imposing contest throughout, with the visitors drawing first blood. Liam O’Neill Sheridan found himself baring down on goal inside the first 40 seconds and took the point, which was followed by an Andrew Brien free to double the lead. Oldcastle responded with points from Lee Healy and Ryan Kevin to level proceedings. Brien and Kevin swapped scores again before both sides came close to scoring their first goal. Adam Craven’s goal bound shot was adjudged not to have crossed the line despite protestations to the contrary from the Marys players, before Healy rattled the crossbar down the far end of the pitch moments later. It was proving to be end to end stuff and Marys were next to trouble the scoreboard, and done in style through a Brien goal on 17 mins, following excellent work in the buildup from Craven, Tadhg Dixon and Conor O’Brien. Dixon was next to follow this up with a point and now the Marys were 4 clear. They should have been in for goal again on 22 mins but Brien was unlucky to send it the wrong side of the post after great work to win possession back. The remainder of the half belonged to Oldcastle, with the last 4 points coming from Ryan Halpin along with 3 more from Kevin, the second of which was a well struck 2 pointer under pressure. 

The half time score read 0-7 to 1-4, with the promise of an exciting second half in store. 

Marys started the second half on the front foot, Dylan Bagnall striding forward to take his customary point following and this was followed up by O’Neill Sheridan’s second of the game following a surging run and another Brien point from a free following good work from Captain James Lynch. A Stephen Tierney score was sandwiched in between the 3 Marys scores, before Healy and Tom Lynch levelled things up again. The home side then roared into a 4 points lead, Shane Boylan getting on the end of a long ball in to find the net. This was followed by a Conor Delaney point and the away side had to regroup again. This they did. Dixon was unlucky with a goal chance that rebounded off the junction of crossbar and post, before excellent work by Craven and Dixon led to Brien pointing from a free, and this was followed by Greene and a 2 pointed free from Brien sending Marys back into the lead with 10 minutes left. Kevin levelled before Marys goaled for the second time. On 52 mins, Dylan Bagnall forced a turnover and after a move involving J Lynch and Craven, Dixon found himself through on goal and made no mistake this time, sending it low and hard to the net. 

The home side got it back to one through Healy and Boylan, with Brien getting a score to reply. As the clock entered added time, Oldcastle thought they had taken the win. They opened the away defence and Tierney was to find the bottom corner to send them back in front and on the way to 2 points. Marys had other ideas though. O’Brien made an excellent interception to break up an Oldcastle attack and found Eoin Jackson, who in turn found Brien. After manufacturing some space, he let fly from the 40 yard line, with the ball sailing between the posts for 2 and leaving the away side back in the lead. 

It would have seemed that was that, but Oldcastle had one more chance, working a free kick from the edge of the D. The ball was sent curling high into the air but did not come in around the post in time, and this was the last action of the game. St Marys find their 100% record still intact, ahead of the next round at home to Summerhill in a top of the table clash on May 8th. 

St Marys: Adam Byrne; Ruairi Condra, John Spain, Liam Lynch; Conor O’Brien, Dylan Bagnall, Adam Craven; Joey Greene, Tadhg Dixon; Eoin Jackson, James Lynch, Liam O’Neill Sheridan; Andrew Brien, Cathal Sheridan, Ben Loughran.

Subs: Caimin Hughes for J Lynch, Peter Waters, Eoin Kelleher, Robbie Gallagher.

Referee: Adrian Corcoran

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