Mayobridge cruise past Castlewellan in Championship opener

Mayobridge made short work of Castlewellan at a bleak rain-soaked St Mary's Park, Burren on Thursday evening, beating their opponents by 12 points and holding them to just three.

There was just one goal in the game scored by Conleith O’Hare in the second half, but the Bridge were already well on their way to their Senior Football Championship opener victory – an excellent start for manager Ronan Sexton, while a disappointing one for Castlewellan, who were relegated to Division 2 in the league.

O'Hare took the first point effort of the game but he sent the ball wide of the mark before Kevin McClorey set up Caolan Gallagher for the opening point in the fourth minute.

The Bridge looked the better attacking team and continued to press forward with Shane Annett laying off to Cormac Linden who had the goal in his sights but the pass was intercepted by Castlewellan defender Oran Flanagan and cleared. Brian Grant then kicked a pointed effort short to Castlewellan keeper Morgan Croskery before a ball intended for Conall Crilly at the other end was well intercepted by James McMahon and the Bridge were back on the attack again.

Grant doubled their lead in the tenth minute and three minutes later, Gareth McKibben played a free from the '45 line short to Rory Burns who sent it over the bar, for Castlewellan’s first score of the evening.

The Bridge nabbed the next two however, with a free from Adan Crimmins and a well-taken point from play by Shane Annett, giving them an 0-4 to 0-1 lead with 17 minutes on the clock. Seven minutes later Crimmins scored the second of his five-point tally, fisting over the bar to extend the Mayobridge lead to four, before Castlewellan recorded their second point of the game when McKibben battled his way past three defenders and pointed off the inside of the post. His side did improve somewhat in the last minutes of the first half, trying to find gaps in their opponents defence but the slippery surface, as the rain poured down, led to a lot of fumbled passes and the last score before the break came from a converted Crimmins free that gave the Bridge an 0-6 to 0-2 lead.

The floodlights were switched on by then as conditions worsened and darkness began to descend. Crimmins and McKibben traded scores at the start of the second half, the former a good score from play and the latter from a free. But that would prove to be the last Castlewellan score of the game, as Mayobridge romped to victory. A good team move led to a point from Conall Poland and Gallagher put seven between the teams following a super mazy run.

While there was little doubt at that stage who the winners would be, the result was sown up on 47 minutes when the ball was moved down the field passing through four Mayobridge players before Conleith O'Hare finished to the net.

Mayobridge notched up three more points before their night was done, with O'Hare, sub Eoghan Woods and Crimmins pointing from a free to see Mayobridge sail into the winners round with a 1-12 to 0-3 victory, while Castlewellan will hope for better in the losers pot.

Scorers

Castlewellan: Gareth McKibben (0-2,1f), Rory Burns (0-1)

Mayobridge: Conleth O'Hare (1-1), Adam Crimmins (0-5, 3f), Caolan Gallagher (0-2), Shane Annett (0-1), Brian Grant (0-1), Conall Poland (0-1), Eoghan Woods (0-1)