Bunclody survive siege

HWH-BUNCLODY SURVIVED a late siege from Duffry Rovers to hold on by the slightest of margins in this Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior ‘A’ football championship quarter-final derby in Farmleigh on Friday.

While Bunclody were ahead for most of the game, they were made earn their place in the last four by a game Duffry Rovers side which pushed them all the way.

Indeed, the Duffry drew level on two occasions late in the game, and but for a few near misses the losers would have found themselves advancing.

The eventual winners gave themselves a great start when Jamie John Murphy finished to the net, after David Reck had opened their account minutes earlier.

Duffry Rovers pulled a major back however, as Ben Nugent came from the opposite end and made no mistake with his penalty kick after Micheál Doyle had been dragged down in the small square.

Bunclody responded well, taking the next three scores through Christopher Atkinson, Murphy and John ‘Jotty’ Connors, but the Duffry men were not going to lie down and after two sweet efforts from Loughlin Rafter, James Howlin put them within a point just before half-time.

The sides were level within 20 seconds of the re-start thanks to Doyle, before proceedings took a similar route as the first-half.

Bunclody took the next three scores, one from Reck and two from Andrew Kelly, before Doyle was once again pulled down in the small square and Nugent marched up to score his second major, leaving the sides level with ten minutes remaining.

Sharpshooting Murphy struck what would be the winning score minutes later, before Doyle was unlucky not to find the net which probably would have seen his side win, but instead they bowed out after a number of wides in the closing minutes.

HWH-Bunclody: John Byrne; Conor Hendrick, Fergal Kelly, Paul Jackman; Christopher Atkinson (01), Thomas O’Neill, Diarmuid Crean; Andrew Kelly (0-2), Timmy Bolger; Darren Murphy, Gearóid Roberts, Jamie John Murphy (1-3, 0-1 free); John Connors (0-1), James Taylor, David Reck (0-2, 1 free). Subs. - Adam Saddler for Roberts, Gary McClean for Byrne (black card), Seán Taylor for Hendrick, Ronan Roberts for Murphy, Matthew Byrne for Crean.

Duffry Rovers: Ben Nugent (2-0 pens.); Brian Watchorn, Jim O’Neill, Matthew O’Connor; James Howlin (0-1), Glen Rafter, Michael O’Leary; Stephen Maguire, John McCarthy; Loughlin Rafter (0-1), Conor Nolan, Gavin Rafter; Micheál Doyle (0-1), Larry Doyle, Jason Rackard (0-1). Subs. - Alan Coleman for Watchorn, Colin Redmond for Maguire, Shane Rafter for G. Rafter, Ger Coleman for Nolan.

Referee: Nicholas Kehoe (Cloughbawn).