Castlerahan players celebrate their league win.

Castlerahan end Gaels' unbeaten run with league final success

Castlerahan 2-12
Cavan Gaels 1-11

Paul Fitzpatrick
at Crosskeys

A stunning second half performance, during which they outscored their opponents by 2-6 to 0-3, made the difference as Castlerahan claimed the ACFL Division 1 title at the expense of Cavan Gaels this evening.

Before a huge crowd – which forced throw-in to be delayed by 15 minutes – Donal Keogan’s side played second fiddle in the first half. While they were competing well with the Gaels in general play, Castlerahan’s attack was malfunctioning and the county champions caught them on the counter several times.

The Gaels waltzed through the centre for the first three points from Andy Graham Luke Molloy (two) before Castlerahan opened their account with two long-range efforts in the 10th minute from Sean Brady and Brian Ennis.

Ciaran Flynn (45) and corner-back Stephen Cooney traded scores but the Gaels were always able to keep their opponents at arm’s length in the first half.

By the 30th minute, it was 0-8 to 0-5 (Oisin Kiernan Cian Mackey pointing for Castlerahan and Graham with two, Declan Meehan and Martin Dunne scoring for Cavan Gaels).

And then the Gaels, who were moving the ball very fast – even against the wind – were awarded a penalty and when Dunne slotted home, Jason O’Reilly’s troops were six to the good,

The final score of the half fell to Castlerahan sub Karl Cosgrove – the youngster would play an important role in the second half – from a free as the Gaels went in holding a handy five-point lead.

Dunne extended that advantage with an excellent point from the wing on the restart but when Sean Brady injected some pace and burned his man before pointing at the other end, something seemed to click for Castlerahan.

Last year’s county finalists began to run, hard and direct, and were soon causing the Gaels serious problems. Mackey, Paul Smith and Fergal Reilly were key as Castlerahan took charge.

A Mackey free was followed by an expertly-taken goal from Brian Ennis, after a beautiful pass from sub Oisin O’Connell, as Castlerahan hit the front for the first time on 41 minutes.

A Cosgrove free and one for Mackey put four between them and although the Gaels responded well through Luke Molloy, they lacked their usual defiance. Castlerahan sensed victory and kicked on, Cosgrove – after missing an easy free – making amends with a brilliant catch and run before releasing Sean Brady, who unleashed a rocket to the bottom corner of the net.

Levi Murphy teed Micheál Lyng up for an important point in reply but Castlerahan were not to be denied. On the home stretch, the Gaels lost Andy Graham and John Fortune to straight red cards as the scoring dried up and tempers frayed.

Teenager Cosgrove had the final say, a well-taken left-footed point after a break from Mackey, as Castlerahan powered over the finish line, in the process inflicting a first ‘domestic’ defeat on Cavan Gaels since September 2016.

While the county champions were missing a few players including Niall and Stephen Murray and Sean Johnston, Castlerahan's power-packed second-half display will make a lot of onlookers sit up and take notice ahead of the championship throw-in.

See Wednesday’s print issue for full report.