2010 Gerry Reilly Football Final

Five Caulry players on Westmeath Panel

2010 was both a great year for Westmeath and Caulry at Under 16 level, when they reach the finals of both the Gerry Reilly Memorial Football Tournament, and The Fr. Manning Cup.

They managed to win the Gerry Reilly, but were unfortunate to be narrowly beaten by Sligo in the Fr. Manning Cup.

In total, five Caulry players throughout both campaign, David Brooks, Evan Roarke, Stephen Woods, Michael McMahon and Andrew O'Sullivan (see picture below).

Below is an extract taken from the Westmeath Examiner Archives, 18th August, 2010

Seventh heaven for spirited Westmeath Under 16 footballers

Westmeath joined Meath at the top of the roll of honour in the Gerry Reilly Under 16 Memorial Football Tournament, when Graham O’Connor’s charges chalked up a seventh success in the competition last Sunday, defeating newcomers Louth in a very enjoyable final at the well-presented Millbrook ground in Oldcastle.

In what has been a topsy-turvy year for the Wee County, There will be no talk of re-fixtures on this occasion, as the Lake County recovered from a shaky start to eke out a fully-deserved four-point win, thereby improving by the narrowest margin on their earlier round robin victory of 1-8 to 0-8 over the same opposition. Despite being short a number of key players, including injured forward Ray Connellan, the winners showed admirable fighting qualities. While there was an element of good fortune to the crucial goal scored by David Brooks (a worthy winner of the official man of the match award...see picture below) in the first minute of the second half, it was no more than the lads in maroon and white deserved, having been very unlucky not to garner at least one goal from two glorious chances approaching the interval.

On an ideal evening for football, it was Louth who started by far the livelier and they raced into a three-point lead by the third minute, courtesy of very well-taken scores from Kieran Byrne, Ryan Hand and Robert Quigley, the latter briefly looking like he would get in for a goal.

However, Westmeath settled and Andrew O’Sullivan showed great persistence to open his side’s account, with Ian Hyland following up with another point from a 25-metre free.

In an action-packed game, the lads in red and white took control again and they regained their three-point advantage by the tenth minute with another point from the ever-threatening Ryan Hand (who was mysteriously replaced with more than ten minutes remaining) and a neat effort from Liam O’Leary.

Indeed, the vigilance of Westmeath netminder Michael McMahon kept the margin at 0-5 to 0-2. David Brooks and Kieran Byrne traded points from frees, with the former by now beginning to stamp his quality on proceedings. Brooks converted a close-range free (the ball having been moved forward for dissent) and he followed up with a delightful point from play, having received the ball from Andrew O’Sullivan’s lineball. Lorcan Dolan was not as influential as in previous games and he shot weakly with a scoreable shot, while Killian Daly was also off-target from an ambitious effort.

With four minutes remaining in the first moiety, Kieran Byrne slotted over a 35-metre free for the Wee County lads.

However, the winners were dominant in the closing stages, two great moves ending with David Brooks thundering a shot off the crossbar and Lorcan Daly bringing out a terrific save from Cathal Costello in the Louth goal at the expense of a ‘45’, which was expertly converted by Aaron Curley. This left the scoreboard at half-time reading: Louth 0-7 Westmeath 0-6.

Westmeath got off to a dream start in the second half, another disappointing shot from Lorcan Daly causing confusion between Cathal Costello and his full back Kieran Leneghan, allowing David Brooks to pounce and fire the ball into an unguarded net. Lorcan Daly had claims for a penalty in the winners’ next attack, but play continued and Adam Gaffney shot wide.

A wild wide from Shane Murtagh ensued before Louth got back on terms with a point apiece from Kieran Byrne (a routine free) and Ryan Hand (a wonderful score on the run). Westmeath then had a narrow escape when Robert Quigley almost got in for a goal, but an unconverted ‘45’ ensued.

The Lake County lads made the most of this let-off by firing over three fine unanswered points in as many minutes midway through the second half, substitute Ger Leech, Andrew O’Sullivan and David Brooks (a marvellous score from a tight angle) being the young men on target.

Louth soon received a major setback when centre half back Andrew English was dismissed on a second yellow card, leaving Rob Gorman as the winners’ spare man.

A lovely end-to-end move resulted in the losers’ tenth point, this time from the left boot of Robert Quigley.

A cynical foul on Lorcan Dolan prevented what looked a likely Westmeath goal, with Ger Leech tapping over the resultant free.

Dolan got the point his hard work deserved with an opportunist effort in the second last minute of normal time. In the dying moments, the respective number 15s wrapped up match scoring, a terrific score from Kieran Byrne being even bettered by Westmeath sub Dylan McDermott.

Joe Curley’s final whistle was followed by jubilant scenes, prior to Rob Gorman being presented with the Gerry Reilly Memorial Cup, dedicated to a very promising 16-year-old footballer, who was tragically killed in a motor accident in December 1987.

Westmeath: Michael McMahon; Eoin Reilly, Luke Corless, Gary Greville; Rob Gorman (capt), Mark Brown, Robbie Greville; Aaron Curley (0-1, from a ‘45’), Adam Gaffney; Shane Murtagh, Killian Daly, Andrew O’Sullivan (0-2); Ian Hyland (0-1, from a free), Lorcan Dolan (0-1), David Brooks (1-4, 0-2 from frees).

Subs: Ger Leech (0-2, 0-1 from a free) (for Hyland, half-time), Sam Moran (for Murtagh, 46 mins), Dylan McDermott (0-1) (for O’Sullivan, 55 mins).

Louth: Cathal Costello; Conor McMenamin, Kieran Leneghan, Ciaran Ward; Conor Grogan, Andrew English, Conal Cooney; Thomas McCann, Darren McMahon (capt); Ryan Hand (0-3), Liam O’Leary (0-1), Terry Donegan; Shane Matthews, Robert Quigley (0-2), Kieran Byrne (0-5, 0-3 from frees).

Subs: Ciaran Cunningham (for Donegan, 39 mins), Gideon Lugoye (for Hand, 49 mins).

Referee: Joe Curley (Meath).