Great win for Oldcastle secures ACFL Div. 1 status

Oldcastle 3-20 St Patrick’s 4-12

Oldcastle went into this ACFL Division 1 play-off knowing they needed to win to say up for next year, but equally St. Pat’s knew a win would send them into the big-time and send us back to the ignominy of Division 2. Conditions at Simonstown were perfect, a beautiful warm still evening (27/7/2019) and an immaculate pitch awaited the lads.

Robbie Farrelly got Oldcastle off to a great start with a goal, Dylan Garrigan, Keith Connell and C.J. Healy following up with points. St. Pat’s were up for the challenge however, and matched Oldcastle score for score. The St. Pat’s defence were ruthless in cutting down any Oldcastle run upfield, but Robbie Farrelly was accurate with the frees and punished them. Oldcastle’s last score of the first half came from a Terry Farrelly intercept passed on to Garrigan who got a lovely pass in to Ronan Maguire who delivered it over the bar. There was very little in it at the break however led: Oldcastle 1-08, St. Pat’s 1-07. 
It was Ronan who took the first of the second half, with Robbie Farrelly adding another two and Colin Hawdon the next. Oldcastle were now dominating the game, and taking scores at will. Keith Connell slotted over a lovely point. Soon after, a Conor McHugh kick-out found Eoin Gilsenan, on to Terry Farrelly, to Darren Hawdon and passed to brother Colin who smashed it past the keeper and into the back of the net. That was followed by a super point from way out by Lee Healy, while the kick-out was taken down brilliantly by Ronan Maguire who passed to Garrigan for the next. C.J. took the next two scores for Oldcastle, with St. Pat’s having only added on two points since the resumption,

Oldcastle now had a nine point cushion. Another point from St. Pat’s was responded to immediately, McHugh’s kick-out finding Darren Hawdon, on to Lee Healy, to brother C.J., on to Robbie Farrelly who shot for goal only to have it rebound off the keeper, happily into the waiting arms of Ronan Maguire who blasted it straight back past him!

We were now eleven ahead, but St. Pat’s began their comeback right about now: a goal, point and then another goal in quick succession making a dent in the lead. Oldcastle steadied themselves and took the next few: with two fine points from the boots of C.J. and a lovely point from Jason Scully the final scores for Oldcastle. A controversial penalty for St. Pat’s in the dying minute improved the look of their score but wasn’t enough for them, the final score being Oldcastle 3-20, St. Pat’s 4-12. 

Oldcastle: Conor McHugh, Eoin Gilsenan, Cian McPartland, Oran O’Reilly, Darren Hawdon, Terry Farrelly, Lee Healy (0-01), Ger Reidy, Ronan Maguire (1-02), Keith Connell (0-02), Dylan Garrigan (1-01), Robbie Farrelly (0-05), C.J. Healy (0-05), Colin Hawdon (1-02), Jason Scully (0-02).

Subs: Oran Mulvanny, Louis Colleran, Niall Mangan, Mattie Cadden, Conor Hetherton, Peter Monaghan.