Cloughbawn fend off Craanford revival

CLOUGHBAWN CRAANFORD 3-16 3-6

CLOUGHBAWN QUALIFIED for the semi-finals of the Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship when fending off a determined mini-revival from Craanford on the way to clinching a 3-16 to 3-6 victory in Saturday’s goal-heavy quarter-final in Blackwater.

Two goals in the first quarter had the Castleboro-based lads seemingly in cruise control, but a brace after the break from James Smyth and Matthew Nolan suddenly had the gap down to 3-9 to 3-3.

Cloughbawn needed only nine seconds to open the scoring through Martin Kehoe, and when the imposing full-forward peeled off his marker on four minutes, he set up Bob Whitty to roll low to the net.

But Craanford responded with a goal four minutes later when John Fleming converted a penalty after Jamie Doyle was tripped in the square.

However, Cloughbawn’s second green flag was a thing of beauty as Gavin Murphy made inroads down the left wing in a similar style to Dublin flyer Jack McCaffrey, played a one-two with Harry Kehoe, and swept into the top corner of the net.

And they struck for the decisive third goal three minutes into injury time when Martin Kehoe scored from the spot despite Bob Flynn getting a hand to the penalty.

Their 3-8 to 1-3 interval lead looked to be too big an obstacle for Craanford to overcome, but to their credit the Gorey District side gave themselves a fighting chance with two goals in the first six minutes after the break.

Firstly, Smyth smashed beyond the near post after being fed by Des Kavanagh before Nolan drilled in a fine goal on 36 minutes to cut the gap to five points.

But they didn’t register again for some 14 minutes as instead Cloughbawn kept the scoreboard ticking over through Whitty (free), Colm Kehoe (two, one free) and Martin Kehoe.

Jamesie Nolan and Michael Lyons responded for Craanford, but four of the last five points came from Cloughbawn boots as they won through to the penultimate round with a bit to spare.

For the losers, attention now turns to their crucial Intermediate hurling relegation decider opposite Monageer-Boolavogue this coming weekend, while Cloughbawn will be in quarter-final action against Shamrocks.

Cloughbawn: Paul Foley; James Dempsey, Colin Doyle, Stephen Casserly; David Doyle-Murphy, Johnny Cullen (capt.), Gavin Murphy (1-0); Barry Kehoe, Páidí Cullen (0-1); Kyle Murphy (0-1), Colm Kehoe (0-5, 2 frees), Harry Kehoe (0-1); Paudie Kehoe, Martin Kehoe (1-4, 1-0 pen.), Bob Whitty (1-4, 0-4 frees). Subs. - Thomas Foley for Murphy (54), Billy Dunne for P. Foley (57), Callen Morrissey for P. Kehoe (59), David Casserly for M. Kehoe (60+1).

Craanford: Bob Flynn; Pat Kenny (capt.), William Conroy, Michael Sinnott; Jim Kenny, Michael O’Loughlin, Joe Berney; Niall Berney, Martin Doyle; Michael Lyons (0-2), Des Kavanagh, Jamie Doyle; James Smyth (1-1), Matthew Nolan (1-0), John Fleming (1-2, 1-0 pen., 0-1 free). Subs. - Jamesie Nolan (0-1) for Smyth, inj. (39), Páraic Redmond for Kavanagh (47).

Referee: Paddy Brady (Réalt na Mara).