Our Meath GAA Premier Championship Division 4 campaign is up and running. And indeed, it got off to a winning start when #TeamWalterstown recorded a 3-8 to 3-6 victory away to Kilbride Gfc last night.
The home side may have started brighter, scoring a goal with just two minutes on the clock. However, the team in black assumed the lead just five minutes later, and it was a lead they didn’t relinquish after that.
A brace of goals from young Sean McGuinness, one on either side of the break and another from Kevin Devine, went a long way to securing victory for Ciaran Lydon’s charges. However, just as it was at the long whistle, this was a close encounter throughout, and the mix of experience and youth ensured we ground out the win and the two points.
After conceding an early goal, Joey Coogan opened our account when he split the posts on the four-minute mark. And soon after came the first of McGuinness’ goals, and the youngster took his chance superbly, finishing to the net with aplomb to give us a 1-1 to 1-0 advantage.
Three minutes later, that one-point advantage was a four-point one thanks to another goal, this time from the boot of Kevin Devine. Charlie Reilly chipped in with the first of his two points soon after, and at the end of the first quarter, we led by double scores (2-2 to 1-1).
Three without a response from the home side narrowed the gap to the minimum as half time loomed, but before the break, Alban Crosbie raised a white flag to give us a 2-3 to 1-4 interval lead.
It took almost 10 minutes of the new half before a score came the way of either side, and it was Sean McGuinness, once again, who proved lethal in front of the posts, firing past the Kilbride’s keeper and into the net to open up a five-point lead for the Blacks.
That turned to six soon after when Joey Coogan raised a white flag, and despite Kilbride’s best efforts, they couldn’t recover from the trio of goals. Crosbie (two), substitute Davy Donnellan and Charlie Reilly completed our scoring and ensured an opening-round win.
Next for #TeamWalterstown is a second-round meeting with Castletown at home on Tuesday, August 27.
SCORERS: Sean McGuinness 2-0, Alban Crosbie 0-3, Kevin Devine 1-0, Joey Coogan 0-2, Charlie Reilly 0-2, Davy Donnellan 0-1.
