Embedded Files
SHC 1st Round 5/6/06
Portlaoise 2-15 Castletown 0-10
From Laois Nationalist (Jack Nolan)
Time creeping up on weary Castletown
THERE will come a day in every team’s sporting life when they realise the slope they are travelling is going down and not up.
This transformation will not take months, weeks or even days; but minutes. Last Monday in Mountrath the once mighty Castletown were treated to a free lesson in integration as their opponents mixed youth and experience to a tee to blow the county champions away.
This was both teams opening game and there is still a mighty long way to go but it was clear for all to see that Castletown are a pale shadow of their former selves. They need fresh blood and the jury’s out on whether they can receive it in time.
From start to finish Portlaoise was the better team. Solid in defence, excelling in midfield while the forward combination of Barry Fitzgerald and Noel Costello ran riot.
Most teams in the county would fail to live with Portlaoise on this showing, a performance that baffled more than a few of the many spectators present. If they can keep up this level of intensity then the town side will be very hard to beat but it’s a long Summer and low and behold there is set to be a few surprises along the way.
Dermot Costello opened the scoring for Portlaoise with an excellent sideline cut. His namesake Noel doubled the score moments later. Castletown hit back through David Cuddy and Ger Reddin as they game took on a tit-for-tat scoring shape for the majority of the half.
Portlaoise would edge ahead only to be pegged back by some well taken Castletown scores. James Hooban’s individual effort proving their best in a half which didn’t set the town ablaze.
David Cuddy put Castletown a point ahead with 20 minutes elapsed and the champions seemed to be establishing a stranglehold. Portlaoise fought back however and hit three unanswered points before the break, two from Noel Costello, the other from Tommy Fitzgerald. From here on Portlaoise were never to relinquish their lead and went in the happier at the break two points in front.
The second half was a tour de force for Portlaoise as they took the game by the scruff of the neck (literally) and powered away from their illustrious opponents. David Cuddy and Noel Costello traded points before the turning point of the game occurred. A long ball was played into Tommy Fitzgerald from midfield. Casually shaking off his marker, Fitzgerald found himself one-on-one with Pat Mullaney and coolly slipped the ball low to the ‘keeper’s right and into the net. Portlaoise had turned the corner.
If that goal was a flattener then one minute later Barry Fitzgerald administered the killer blow. Picking up a loose puck out, he drove at the paper thin Castletown defence. Weaving his way meticulously through, he too found joy in the one-on-one as he buried the ball past Mullaney and into the top corner. Castletown were dejected, Portlaoise hungry for more.
They tagged on three more points without reply to compound the woe on Castletown. Barry Fitzgerald added to his impressive afternoon while Noel Costello reminded us all why he was named player of the year two seasons ago. Richard Kingston soon hit back with a brace for Castletown but this was soon cancelled out by the town that ended the game like they started it - on a high.
This senior championship looks the most open one for years with both of last year’s finalists suffering heavy defeats. It may only be the start of the season but points are points and after this game Castletown are playing catch up.
PORTLAOISE: John Haniffy; Keith Murphy, Brian Mulligan, Tommy Mulligan; Eoin Browne, Dermot Costello (0-1), Mick Bowe; Joe Phelan, Cahir Healy (0-2); Alan Kingsley, Barry Fitzgerald (1-1), Eamonn Fennelly; Colm Fitzgerald (0-1), Tommy Fitzgerald (1-1), Noel Costello (0-9, 0-8f).
CASTLETOWN: Pat Mullaney; Martin Phelan, Fionnan Cuddy, Darren Brophy; Declan Cuddy, Paul Cuddy, John O’Sullivan; Eoin Dooley, Rob Delaney; Paudge Cuddy, Cyril Cuddy, Ger Reddin (0-1); James Hooban (0-2), David Cuddy (0-5,0-3f), Fionnan O’Sullivan. Subs: Richard Kingston (0-2) for Ger Reddin and Brian Ferns for Paudge Cuddy.
ACHL Division 3 Final 12/8/06 @ O' Moore Park
Castletown 2-12 Camross 0-6
From Leinster Express
Minor B Championship Final 9/9/06
Castletown 0-11 Clonad 1-6
From Leinster Express
SHC Quarter Final 17/9/06
Camross 2-11 Castletown 0-10
From Laois Nationalist (Jack Nolan)
Camross win overshadowed by ugly brawl
A FINE display of team hurling by a determined Camross side dumped tired champions Castletown out of the Laois senior championship but unfortunately the gloss was taken off their victory by some shameful scenes at the finish of the contest.
A year after another dis-graceful incident was witnessed at the end of the replayed county final between the teams it seems that some players are intent on dragging down the name of their club even further as yet another moment of lunacy brought further shame on the participants.
As in the games last year this was an incident free contest until the final chaotic minutes and Camross were full value for their seven point victory against a Castletown team that appeared to have run out of time after years at the top of the club tree.
Then with just a minute of normal time to go, a fracas developed in the Camross goalmouth after substitute Greg Cuddy raced on and made his ‘presence felt’ by charging into David Cuddy. There ensued a flare-up involving a number of players and with Greg Cuddy and Cyril Cuddy getting to grips with each other behind the goal nets at the Town End.
When calm was restored both players were called to one side by referee Anthony Stapleton who, after consulting with his umpires, brandished red cards to both players. As he did so, however, Greg Cuddy was seen to strike Cyril Cuddy in the face and he fell to the ground. This was the signal for another out-break of hostilities as Castletown players sought retribution for their fallen colleague. Stewards succeeded in dragging Greg Cuddy out to the Terrace sideline for his own safety.
They then decided to escort him across the end of the pitch as medical assistance was rendered to Cyril Cuddy on the field of play. As Greg Cuddy was marshalled across the field he was applauded by Camross supporters but loudly booed by Castletown spectators and he responded by pointing at the scoreboard.
This incited the opposition even further and as he stepped off the field at the end of the stand he was attacked by a number of individuals, including one who appeared to strike him with a hurley. This was the signal for all hell to break loose at the end of the stand and a huge number of supporters became embroiled in a ferocious battle at the end in disgraceful violent scenes as young children were caught in the middle and many others looked on in disgust.
Referee Anthony Stapleton rightly decided to call a halt to the game without restarting the match. It was a huge pity as the game itself was a sporting contest fiercely contested as one would expect between these local rivals.
There certainly was an air of tension even before the throw-in but with Camross in control on the scoreboard for most of the game and leading by seven points as the game reached a conclusion it seemed that we would be saved any unpleasantries. How wrong we were!
The game never reached any great heights with so much tension and so much pride at stake for both sides. At the end there was little to be proud of however but it has to be said it was a moment of madness by one Camross player that brought shame to everyone involved.
The game opened with Paul Cuddy giving the champions the lead with a long range free but within two minutes Camross were off the mark in the most emphatic fashion as a cross from Dean Delaney was met first time by Ken Cuddy and the Castletown onion bag was rattled. Within a minute Cyril Cuddy had an open goal chance but amazingly from inside the Camross square he somehow contrived to fire the ball wide despite his appeals that it had gone over the bar.
Richard Kingston was one of the best Castletown players on the day and he closed the gap with a fine point off the hurl but it was the challengers that were to hit the next six points without reply to open up a nine point lead by the 18th minute of the game. Four of those came from Zane Keenan frees as Camross applied the severest of pressure but it was James ‘Giggsy’ Palmer that was to be the real hero as he grabbed a goal and a point with supreme skill.
The goal came as he blocked an attempted clearance from Martin Phelan and slapped the sliotar to the net and then he hit a quality point from the tightest of angles. Castletown eventually came to grips with their opponents and two points from placed balls by Pat Phelan and a fine score from Cyril Cuddy left them seven points in arrears at the break.
Castletown appeared a rejuvenated side on the restart and points from John Richard Kingston and Pat Phelan narrowed the deficit to five points and the champions were back in the game but those two scores were cancelled by a super score from wing back Sean Gilmore and a free from Zane Keenan. The defending champions now enjoyed their best period and points from Paul Cuddy, Pat Phelan and county minor Ger Reddin narrowed the gap to just four points after 14 minutes of the half and Castletown were within striking distance but that was as near as they came as they failed to score again.
Niall Holmes hit a great point, Damien Culleton and Zane Keenan his seventh point and Castletown were on their way out and failing to make the semi finals for the first time since they made the breakthrough back in the mid 90s.
Castletown have enjoyed a glorious period at the top of Laois hurling and on Sunday many of the players appeared tired and unable to rise to the occasion anymore. Many of them have too many miles on the clock to compete at this level but have given their all and brought many titles to the club and it will be now up to others to carry the flame.
Camross certainly have youth on their side and look like champions in waiting but it could well be that ghosts from the past and events like those at the end of the game will forever haunt them in their search to be accepted and respected.
Camross are now drawn to meet Tinnahinch in the semi final and they certainly will meet a team there that can match them in most departments. That has the makings of a fascinating encounter.
CAMROSS: Tadgh Doran, Larry Cuddy, Pakie Cuddy, Peter Guilfoyle, Sean Gilmore 0-1, Damien Keenan, Daryl Dooley, Fran Hogan, Colin Delaney, Niall Holmes 0-1, Ken Cuddy 1-0, Zane Keenan 0-7, Dean Delaney, Damien Culleton 0-1, James Palmer 1-1. Subs: Tomas Burke for Dean Delaney, Greg Cuddy for Ken Cuddy.
CASTLETOWN: John Lyons, Martin Phelan, Brian Ferns, Damien Brophy, Robert Delaney, Paul Cuddy 0-2, Declan Keenan, John O’Sullivan, David Cuddy, Cyril Cuddy 0-1, J.R. Kingston 0-2, Paudge Cuddy, James Hooban, Pat Phelan 0-4, Ger Reddin 0-1. Subs: Tom Phelan for Pat Phelan, Joe Delaney for Damien Brophy, Seamus Lyons for Paudge Cuddy, Fionan O’Sullivan for Seamus Lyons, Darren Ferns for Pat Phelan.
REF: Anthony Stapleton (Rathdowney)
Minor B Championship Final 23/9/06
St Fintan's Raheen 3-11 Castletown 0-12
From Leinster Express
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse