Cortown coast to comfortable win over Clonard

Cortown returned to winning ways on a balmy Wednesday evening with a facile 1-21 to 1-7 win over a depleted Clonard side in the third round of the Tailteann Cup, writes Davy Rispin.

It was 14-a-side from the start with the visitors not able to muster up the requisite numbers prior to throw in as referee Hugo Whoriskey got the ball rolling a little bit later than scheduled.

In truth it was a ruthless first-half display that paved the way for Davy Dalton’s men with corner back Johnny McGearty opening the scoring with a beautifully floated '45' for the second consecutive week.

Despite Paul Sheridan desperately searching for an option for quick restarts, the 'keeper was foiled on numerous occasions by the dominant Cortown midfield and half back line with Mickey Costello making his first start of the year at wing back impressing throughout the opening period.

The two-man full forward line enabled captain Brían Smith to use his bandied hamstrings to good effect and isolate himself one v one with the corner back with the wily old Daragh O’Halloran happy to mind the corner flag like Fr Dougal Maguire once did so infamously in the All-Priests Over 75’s challenge match against Rugged Island all those years ago.

Smith would hit four points on the trot –two with the right and two with the fist to stretch the hosts lead to five in the blink of an eye.

Clonard were trying to their credit but when they would eventually get possession beyond the imperious pair of Hugh Staunton and Luca Brady, they would inevitably find the old warhorse Barry Canning and the apprentice Mikey Rennicks in inspired form. Indeed, Rennicks is a son of the great Dutch who was more medals than Michael Phelps.

Cortown continued the barrage approaching the water-break with Davy Rispin notching a brace of quickfire scores following nice interplay by Staunton and the typically industrious jockey that is Luke Carberry.

With a welcome water-break called it was Cortown who were in cruise control and led by 0-7 to 0-0.

The break did not hinder nor halt the Cortown momentum as the home side engineered half a goal chance when Carberry dished off to Rispin who was bottled up but managed to salvage a point from the move.

The intelligence of Ciaran Keating along with Stevie Clarke was integral to Cortown transitioning from defence to attack efficiently and effectively as a purposeful run from Carberry resulted in him raising a white flag and he was off the mark.

The visitors did spurn a couple of opportunities but Cortown, despite squandering several chances of their own, were in no mood to let them off the hook as Smith recycled to Rispin who curled over from 35 yards prior to the former just about edging his lofted effort inside the left hand upright.

Rispin would tap over a routine 14 yard free for the penultimate score of the half before Smith would have the final say taking and converting a mark after a beautiful pick-out by Staunton. At the interval, it was all over bar the shouting as the men in yellow were coasting, 0-13 to 0-0.

Dalton would ring the changes at the break and it was Tommy Smith who opened his and Cortown’s second half account with a classy score before Clonard finally sprung into life and kicked the next four scores on the spin.

The brief act of deviance was quickly put to bed with Smith getting on the end of a sweeping move to slip the ball coolly under the body of Sheridan.

Decky Clarke then landed a monster score before the visitors struck for a major of their own as they ghosted in to emphatically lash home past the hapless dive of Colm McGearty.

Tommy Smith did get another before he was withdrawn and the returning Colm Kerrigan in his maiden appearance of the year gave a classic cameo with a mazy run resulting in a fine score.

Odhran Henry kept up as scoring feat from the bench as he replaced the brilliant Luca Brady and immediately was in on the action firing over from close range.

Things were winding down so much so that the new scoreboard even threatened to go asleep but thanks to Theo Staunton and Decky Clarke, it was reinvigorated.

In-form Ryan Henry closed out the scoring as he pointed a couple of nice frees with his right.

Cortown - Colm McGearty; John McGearty (0-1), Barry Canning, Mikey Rennicks; Mickey Costello, Stevie Clarke, Ciaran Keating; Luca Brady, Hugh Staunton; Luke Carberry (0-1), Davy Rispin (0-5), Tommy Smith (1-2); Daragh O’Halloran, Brían Smith (0-6). Subs - Conor Mulroe for B Smith, Decky Clarke (0-2) for Rispin, Kevin Muldoon for Costello, Daragh Smith for Carberry, Colm Kerrigan (0-1) for O’Halloran, Odhran Henry (0-1) for Brady, Ryan Henry (0-2) for T Smith.