Bob’s free earns draw
A 58th-minute free from Bob Whitty earned Cloughbawn a point against table-toppers Naomh Eanna in their Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship Group A match in a sunny Oylegate on Saturday.
It was a contest that could have gone either way, with both sides enjoying short spurts of supremacy, but in the end neither outfit could grumble at the spoils being shared.
Cloughbawn had slightly the better of it in the first-half and held a four-point advantage at the interval, but Naomh Eanna dragged themselves back level by the 38th minute, with the lively David O’Brien hitting the back of the net.
When Paudie Kehoe was shown a second yellow card in the 49th minute with the sides still deadlocked the tide looked to have turned very much in the Gorey men’s favour, particularly when they tagged on two quick points.
However, Cloughbawn tore up the script and a Colm Kehoe goal put them in the box seat again, and although points from William Cullen and David O’Brien edged Naomh Eanna back in front, Whitty had the final say with his late leveller.
Whitty had been the star man in the first-half, knocking over four superb points from play to help his side to a 0-10 to 0-6 interval advantage.
Martin Kehoe also looked lively and twice went close to raising a green flag, forcing Barry Kinsella into a fine save in the seventh minute and rattling the woodwork eight minutes later and seeing his effort go over, rather than under, the bar.
Naomh Eanna also had their moments with David O’Brien, Conor McDonald and Lee Kinsella all slotting over points, but Cloughbawn finished the half strongly and scores from Kyle Murphy and Gavin Murphy had them four to the good at the break.
However, the Gorey men were back on level terms by the 38th minute when David O’Brien finished off a flowing move to plunder a goal.
The ball went through the hands quickly, with William Cullen and Lee Kinsella involved in the buildup, and O’Brien applied the finishing touch, palming to the net.
Things looked to be going pear-shaped for Cloughbawn when, after the dismissal of Paudie Kehoe, William Cullen and Lee Kinsella pointed to put Naomh Eanna two clear.
It all changed in the blink of an eye though, and when Colm Kehoe gathered a pass from Harry Kehoe and finished low to the net in the 52nd minute, the impetus was back with Cloughbawn.
Points from Cullen and O’Brien edged Naomh Eanna back in front, but when the chance was presented to Whitty he made no mistake and both sides can now look forward to their forthcoming quarter-finals with a degree of confidence.
Cloughbawn: Paul Foley; James Dempsey, Colin Doyle, Stephen Casserly; David Doyle-Murphy, Johnny Cullen (capt.), Gavin Murphy (0-1); Barry Kehoe, Páidí Cullen; Kyle Murphy (0-2), Colm Kehoe (1-2, 0-1 free), Harry Kehoe (0-2); Paudie Kehoe, Martin Kehoe (0-2, 1 free), Bob Whitty (0- 5, 1 free).
Naomh Eanna: Barry Kinsella; Joseph O’Connor (0-1), Daniel Sunderland, Seamus O’Donnell; Jack Cushe, Pádraig Doyle (capt.), Eoin Conroy; Brendan Travers, John O’Brien; Seán Doyle, David O’Brien (1-5, 0-1 free), Charlie McGuckin; William Cullen (04, 2 frees), Lee Kinsella (0-3), Conor McDonald (0-1).
Referee: Niall McDonald (Crossabeg-Ballymurn).