Powerful first-half display lays foundation for Cashel victory

Castlegar 0-17Ardrahan 0-14

Frank Farragher

Castlegar burned up a fair cache of calories during the first half of this Group C senior hurling championship clash at Kenny Park, Athenry on Saturday evening and that early energy surge was just about enough to see them through a slightly unexpected second half famine.

Ardrahan might have ‘half fancied’ their chances of securing a first round win, based on encouraging early season form and the fact that Castlegar were missing a number of players from last year, but this match was won and lost in the first half when the city side were far sharper in all aspects of their play.

This was early season stuff and in the gathering gloom of a dank April evening, it was hard for a neutral heart to start pumping too briskly, although the match did deliver some decent passages of hurling.

Castlegar ticked all the relevant boxes during the opening 30 minutes, ahead on motivation, touch and pace as they powered into a 0-13 to 0-6 interval lead with Ger Farragher, Kevin Brady, Mairtín Cullinane, Eoin Fitzgerald and Dean Higgins all hitting the target with regularity. They had fairly peppered the town goal with shots as Shane Kennedy, Colin Whiriskey, Pat Holland, Joseph O’Leary, Ger Bond and scorer in chief Maurice Callanan desperately tried to keep Ardrahan in touch.

It looked at half-time as if Castlegar could quite comfortably power on to an easy victory but Ardrahan roused themselves at half-time, decided that they would make a game of it, and the points flowed steadily from Maurice Callanan, Richie Mullins, Iarlaith Tannian and Joseph O’Leary.

Midway through the second half, Ardrahan had the deficit reduced to two points at 14-12 but the accuracy of Ger Farragher from play and frees, proved to be a lifesaver for Castlegar during a hungrier second half for them.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.