Garrycastle victors in tight encounter

08/11/2009 - 16:48:40
Garrycastle (Westmeath) 1-14 Clonguish (Longford) 0-15 (AET)

Garrycastle withstood a second half comeback and extra-time to see off Longford champions Clonguish in a tight encounter at Cusack Park in Mullingar this afternoon.

The Westmeath outfit showed glimpses of their class in the first half of normal time to hold a 1-5 to 0-4 interval lead, with Dessie Dolan netting a ninth minute goal.

Clonguish kept in touch thanks to two points each from Paul and David Barden, although Garrycastle opened up a double scores lead within 11 minutes of the restart.

However, the Westmeath champions could only manage one further point in the remaining 19 minutes of normal time as dogged Clonguish staged a marvellous comeback.

Scores from the Barden brothers and Paddy Dowd levelled the tie by the 56th minute.

Dowd then edged Clonguish in front for the first time, but a late Enda Mulvihill point forced extra-time.

Garrycastle were the better side in the first period of extra-time as they built up a 1-10 to 0-12 lead, and outscored Clonguish by four points to three on the restart to secure a semi-final berth.

The Anthony Cunningham-managed victors will host Ballyboden St. Endas in a November 22 semi-final, after the Dublin champions accounted for Rathnew of Wicklow on a 1-10 to 1-7 scoreline today.