SFC SECTION D
Breaffy 1-11
Castlebar 0-8
Mike Finnerty
Breaffy
ON the face of things this match had all the ingredients required for a championship classic.
A local derby, beautiful weather, two teams going hell-for-leather for a place in the quarter-finals, and the bragging rights that goes with a win over your nearest and dearest.
Oh how wrong we were.
Aside from admiring the poise and finishing of Marty McNicholas (who has lost none of his old swagger) and Eoin Carney’s smartly-taken goal, this was an utterly forgettable affair.
The match lacked any discernible pattern, there was little in the way of intensity, and the shooting of both teams (Castlebar in particular) left something to be desired.
But Breaffy got the job done and for that they will be thankful. They now go top of their group with games against Knockmore and Kiltane still to come.
However, two of their most important players, Alan Durcan and Seamus O’Shea, were forced to retire with injury concerns and it remains to be seen how long they will spend on the sidelines.
Durcan departed after only eleven minutes, hindered by a knee injury while O’Shea (who was replaced at half-time) undergoes surgery on a long-standing groin problem this week.
Castlebar Mitchels will have plenty to discuss at training this week. They started well but lost their way alarmingly and their inability to convert possession into scores continues to hold them back.
The dismissal of Shane Fitzmaurice twenty minutes from the end was also a decisive moment in the story of the game. His second yellow card deprived Mitchels of an experienced midfielder at a time when Breaffy had opened up a four point lead and he was conspicuous by his absence in the final quarter.
That Marty McNicholas was to have a profound influence on the match became apparent after only 15 seconds as he rifled over an excellent score from long range.
But Castlebar responded confidently and had established a 0-4 to 0-1 after eleven minutes as Niall Lydon, Alan Nolan, Sean Ryder and Tom Cunniffe all opened their accounts.
Darragh Larkin (lining out at centre-half forward) and Barry Moran were both heavily involved in much of Castlebar’s good work in that purple patch and a pattern seemed to be emerging.
Breaffy were lethargic and lacklustre but Castlebar spurned a plethora of chances to extend their lead. Two missed frees from close range by Niall Lydon and Richie Feeney underlined their woes in front of goal and slowly but surely Breaffy got a foothold.
Castlebar failed to score in the final twenty minutes of the half as Breaffy reeled them in with three points from Marty McNicholas (two from play) to leave the sides level at 0-4 apiece at the interval.
The opening minutes of the second half were finely balanced; Alan Nolan trading points with Eoin Carney (free) to restore the status quo.
The game-breaking score arrived shortly afterwards. It was conceived by a good piece of play from Breaffy corner-back Kevin Scahill, who was outstanding throughout, and the move also involved Tommy Canavan and Marty McNicholas.
When the ball was eventually lofted into the square, Eoin Carney grabbed it, spun, and shot low to the net past Richie Byrne.
Breaffy had opened up some daylight and when Tommy Canavan smacked over a point from out the country, the homeside were four clear.
Things went from bad to worse for Mitchels as Shane Fitzmaurice was sent-off moments later but, to Barry Moran’s credit, he ploughed a lone furrow gallantly.
An inspirational point in the 48th minute was just reward for Moran’s efforts but Breaffy were not for turning.
A string of points from Colm Jordan, McNicholas (free) and Declan Jennings nudged them 1-9 to 0-6 clear by the 54th minute and the deal was sealed.
Kevin O’Connor will be pleased by the way his team continued to plug away and a couple of points from Niall Lydon (free) and John Gerard Stenson narrowed the margin slightly.
But Castlebar didn’t have the cutting edge to mount a late rescue mission and McNicholas converted two frees clinically to close the game out.
Breaffy
R Hennelly; K Scahill, B Jordan, D Cusack; C Jordan (0-1), M Jennings, E Conroy; S O’Shea, F Canavan; M McNicholas (0-7, 4fs), C Lyons, G Jennings; E Carney (1-1, 1f), D Jennings (0-1), A Durcan. Subs used: A O’Shea for Durcan (inj); T Canavan (0-1) for S O’Shea (inj); R Martyn for Carney; R Conway for D Jennings.
Castlebar
R Byrne; J Conlon, A Feeney, R O’Grady; R Burke, R Feeney, T Cunniffe (0-1); B Moran (0-1), S Fitzmaurice; A Joyce, D Larkin, S Ryder (0-1); E Tiernan, A Nolan (0-2), N Lydon (0-2, 1f). Subs used: E Kennedy for Larkin; JG Stenson (0-1) for Joyce.
Referee: P Geraghty (Swinford)
