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Garrymore turn on the class when needed

Garrymore were impressive winners against Charlestown in the first round of the Mayo Senior Championship. The east Mayo men came into the game with something to prove after their hosts knocked them out at the quarter-final stage last season. But two first half goals from a slick Garrymore side made it a task they were never going to be victorious in. Jimmy Killeen opened the scoring two minutes in for the hosts, but points from Jack Reilly and David Caffrey put Charlestown ahead after five minutes. Seven minutes in the first goal arrived when a flowing move, full of powerful and intelligent running involving Shane Nally, Enda Varley, Brian Walsh and Caolan Crowe was finished to the net by Brendan Cunningham.

Garrymore’s support running to create and option for the man in possession was top class all day and it was something that Charlestown never got to grips with. Colm Maye responded with a free a minute later for Charlestown but, Garrymore were about to hit 1-3 without reply and that would more or less win them the game. Brian Walsh kicked a point then Jimmy Killeen added another one and 15 minutes in Mark Tierney finished from close range tot he net after Killeen’s effort came back off the bar. The goal chance came from the smart thinking of Trevor Nally who cut out a Charlestown pass out of defence to set the move in motion. Killeen added another point not long after to put his side into a 2-4 to 0-3 lead. Charlestown had an appeal for a goal turned down after a free from Maye dropped short and Paul Mulligan got his paw on the ball that bounced down off the crossbar, but the umpires weren’t having any of it 18 minutes in. Maybe cut the gap to six points with another free 23 minutes in and then a minute later it looked to be game on again. David Caffrey and Kevin Deignan combined well down he right flank and set Gareth O’Donnell free, he cut in with power and pace and drove the ball past Morvyn Connolly to the back of the net. But it was the hosts who kicked on from there before the break with two pointed frees from Killeen leaving Garrymore leading at the break on a score of 2-6 to 1-4 and with the wind at their backs for the second half.

The opening seven minutes of the second half saw Garrymore push their lead out to eight points thanks to points from Shane Nally, who was very impressive in the middle of the park again for his side, a Killeen free and one from Caolan Crowe. Charlestown did rally and they kicked four unanswered points through a brace of Maye frees and one each for Martin Mulvaney and Brendan Quinn, but they could never bridge that gap that had built up as Brian Walsh and another Killeen free kept the hosts noses just that bit to far in front. Charlestown did manage two more scores before the end, with Garrymore hitting one more point to leave the south Mayo men victorious on a scoreline of 2-12 to 1-11.

Article Courtesy of the Mayo Advertiser

Garrymore team that lined out:

M. Connolly, J King, K Cunningham, J Varley, T Nally, A Reilly, J Oates, S Nally, D Dolan, C Crowe, Brendan Cunningham, B Walsh, J Killeen, E Varley, M Tierney