Castlewellan won their fifth Bobby Dalzell Cup in a row with a sensational performance against Mourne Rovers on Boxing Day. This was probably the most satisfying of the five, not only for the quality of football but the fact that the town showed their strength in depth having eight changes to their matchday squad from last years final six of whom had come through their youth ranks.
The final could hardly have started worse for the town as they lost their captain and talismanic central defender Connor Stratton to a hamstring injury after only two minutes. Conal Corrigan slotted into Strattons place with Donal McKibben moving to left back and his brother Liam coming on at left midfield. Rovers smelled blood and held the upper hand in the early stages as favourites Castlewellan looked nervous. However cometh the day cometh the man and John Clarke rallied his defence and repelled all that the Mourne side could throw at them. Clarke, who ended up with the man of the match award hardly gave Rovers main goal threat Harrison a kick all day. Eventually the town’s midfield pairing of Luke Toner and Stevie Tierney restored parity in midfield and began to exert their influence. Tierney found Trainor in the 25th minute with a precision pass but Brendan McVeigh saved his effort brilliantly to keep the scores level. It was clear though that the town were growing and were getting results on the left wing where Liam McKibben gave the Rovers right back a torrid time. Eventually their exertions paid off and they took the lead on 33 minutes when Donal McKibben’s corner created an almighty scramble and that ‘fox in the box’ Daniel Morgan steered the ball into the corner. Toner and Tierney were now in the ascendency in midfield spreading the ball wide at every opportunity. After 42 minutes Tierney, in a replica of his 25th minute assist slipped in Stevie Trainor and this time Stevie drilled an unstoppable effort past McVeigh. It was all Castlewellan at this point and just before half time Liam Mckibben after yet another scintillating run unselfishly set up Sean Russell and with the aid of a deflection Sean blasted to the net.
You could almost forgive the town for thinking that their job was done but in the changing room during the break strong words from management and players alike urged the team not to fall into that trap, the general concensus being that if Rovers got an early goal it was game on but if Castlewellan got the early score it was surely then game over.
If the greens started the first half on a bad note they started the second on the best note possible when within 45 seconds of the restart following a surging move Russell found Trainor with an exquisite chip and Stevie did what Stevie does best and volleyed expertly past McVeigh. There is always a danger that a team so far ahead will lose their shape and discipline but not so Castlewellan who continued to boss affairs. Rovers did however almost pull a goal back but Rory Burns who saw little action in the second period tipped the shot onto the bar. It should have been 5 in the 55th minute when Danny Morgan caught a Liam McKibben cross flush with his head but the agile McVeigh parried his effort and an astonished Dan pushed the rebound wide with the goal gaping! After 65 minutes young Polish forward Karol Jarosinski came on for Sean Russell who had put in an excellent shift. Three minutes later it was five when man of the match John Clarke rose highest at the back post to power home a header from Trainor’s corner. Aidan Burns came on for Stevie Tierney who had an excellent game particularly in the first period. The town should really have scored more goals but some wasteful finishing and the efforts of Raymond Clarke and the agile Brendan McVeigh saw them settle for five.
It would be easy to suggest that had Rovers scored in the first 20 minutes when they were in the ascendency things may have panned out differently. I would doubt very much though that Castlewellan wouldn’t have come out on top anyway. This was their best display in a couple of years and they had star performers all over the pitch, yes John Clarke got man of the match but it could have gone to several others. So already silverware resides in Castlewellan and they now turn their attention to important fixtures in January with a league game away to Rovers on 3rd January followed by a Junior Cup encounter with Ardoyne WMC on the 10th and a Junior Shield game against Lower Shankill on the 24th. They could well have done without the injury to Connor Stratton but at least they have cover for the position. We also have the imminent debut of Marty Clarke to come while Sean Dornan recovers well from injury. Exciting times!
