Mattock plot instant return after resisting Bride’s rally

were on course for a comfortable victory.

However, the Knockbridge men had other ideas and launched a spirited comeback with points from Cillian Kirk, Conaill Devin and Ross Kehoe helping them to get back to within two points entering the final minute.

Their prospects looked bleak when David Reid kicked his eighth point of the evening in the 60th minute, but there was still time for Sean Brennan and Kehoe to fire over and leave just one between the teams.

The Brides had time to create one more chance and Reilly came agonisingly close four minutes into injury time when his effort came back off the post.

It was an impressive victory for a Mattock side that suffered a major blow inside a minute of the restart when Christy Grimes was forced off through injury. Although David Reid opened the scoring with a free, it got even worse for the Collon side on six minutes when Aaron Hoey found the top corner to get his side off the mark.

Despite that score, the Brides were finding it difficult to adjust to facing Division 1 opponents. Mattock were playing the better football forced the Knockbridge side into conceding a number of frees, the majority of which were sent over by David Reid.

Those scores helped Mattock establish a 0-7 to 1-2 lead after 27 minutes and the Brides prospects suffered a setback when they controversially lost the services of Aaron Hoey. While waiting on Emmet Kirk to take a ‘45’ an altercation in the Mattock goalmouth saw James Carragher end up on the ground.

Refereee Stephen Murphy, who is certain to have better outings than this, pulled Hoey aside and to the surprise of many in the ground, produced a black card.

Despite that blow, the Brides responded well and late points from Emmet Kirk and Reilly sent the teams in level at 1-4 to 0-7.

After the opening four points of the second half were shared, the Brides regained the lead on 43 minutes through Reilly but Mattock’s two goals in a minute from O’Brien and Watters ultimately proved the difference. MATTOCK RANGERS: Mike Englishby; James Carragher 0-1, Cathal Clarke, David Brennan; Sean Gilsenan, Terry Donegan, Gary Englishby; Ciaran Calvey, Daniel Bannon; Aaron O’Brien 1-0, Christy Grimes, Adrian Reid 0-1; David Reid 0-8 (5f), Robbie Brennan, Ryan Leneghan. Subs: Ben Watters 1-0 for C Grimes (2), Shane Grimes for D Brennan BC (41), Niall Sharkey for R Leneghan (50), Shane Maguire for J Carragher BC (56).

ST BRIDES: Darren Breen; Niall Mackin, Mark Hoey, Conor Deane; Paraic Marry, Cillian Kirk 0-1, David Kettle; Paddy Reilly 0-3, James Costello; Ross Kehoe 0-2, Kevin Hearty 0-1, Shane Devin 0-1; Alan Dunne, Aaron Hoey 1-0, Emmet Kirk 0-4 (1f 1 ‘45’). Subs: Sean Marry for A Hoey BC, Johnny Culleton for D Kettle, Sean Brennan 0-1 for J Costello, Conaill Devin 0-1 for S Devin.

REFEREE: Stephen Murphy.