Plunketts no match for Mattock

St Bride’s make loud statement en route to quarter-finals

ST BRIDE’S booked their place in the Intermediate Championship quarter final as Group B winners when they held on to defeat Clan na Gael in an eventful game at Dowdallshill on Friday evening.

While the Knockbridge men were celebrating their progress at the final whistle, the Clans were left to rue a series of missed chances in the second half when they game was there for the taking.

For the opening three quarters of this game, the Knockbridge men looked to be firmly in control and on their way to a comfortable victory. However, they lost their grip on the game in the final 15 minutes and found themselves pinned back by a Clans side that, somewhat unusually, started with a team wearing the numbers one to 15.

The Dundalk men created a series of chances but just couldn’t apply the finishing touch as they kicked a number of wides from good positions, to let the Brides off the hook.

In the end they were too reliant on the kicking of Robbie Curran, who scored seven points from placed balls, as they finished the game with 13 wides, nine of which came after the break. Curran will be disappointed to have missed two frees but the most notable wide came just a minute from the end when the Clans were two points behind. A brilliant move released Billy Smith in front of goal but just when he seemed destined to win the game, with an excellent move down the left.

Daniel Bannon was the creator as his pinpoint pass sent Aaron O’Brien clear and the corner forward made no mistake as he bore down on Luke Haggins in the Plunketts goal before finding the bottom of the net with a neat finish.

The industrious Gerard Harran responded with a wonderful score for the Plunketts to make it a one goal game once more as the first half neared completion.

However, there was still time for Adrian Reid to showcase his many skills as he turned his marker inside out before calmly slotting the ball over the bar.

Just before the short whistle Reid was once more in the thick of the action as he collected another excellent Daniel Bannon pass before unleashing a rocket of a shot which found the top corner of the net to give Mattock a decent looking 2-7 to 0-6 half-time lead.

Both sides traded points early in the second half before speed merchant Alan Carragher ended any realistic chances of a Plunketts win with a well taken goal after a quick free from David Reid sent him clear.

To the Plunketts credit they never let their heads drop and finished the game strongly with a couple of excellently taken scores from Trevor Walsh but ultimately Mattocks three goals proved costly for the Drogheda side as they fell to a 3-13 to 0-13 defeat to leave their championship hopes hanging by a thread.

MATTOCK RANGERS: Mike Englishby, Shane Maguire, Ciaran Calvey, Alan Carragher 1-1, Brendan Leacy, Sean his shot could only find the side netting.

The Brides took full advantage of their reprieve as they broke from the restart and saw Michael Keane kick a fine point to clinch victory.

In the end it was a first half goal from Cathal McKenna that proved the difference between the teams in what turned out to be a very eventful night for the Brides man. Having started on the bench, McKenna was sprung into action after just nine minutes following an injury to Paddy Reilly. Within three minutes had had the ball in the back of the net and also picked up a yellow card for an off the ball incident in between two late first half points.

He would go on to score an important point in the second period but his game ended prematurely as he collected a second yellow in the final minute.

The game itself was played at a lively Gilsenan, Michael McKeown 0-1, Daniel Bannon, Hugh Donnelly, Connor Lenihan 0-1, Adrian Reid 1-2, Ryan Lenehan, Terry Donegan, David Reid 0-6 (4f), Aaron O’Brien 1-2. Subs: Daire Englishby for Hugh Donnelly, James Carragher for Ryan Lenehan, JP Watters for Brendan Leacy, Shane Grimes for Aaron O’Brien, Ruairi Hickey for David Reid, Darren Henry for Alan Carragher.

OLIVER PLUNKETTS: Luke Haggins 0-2, Barry Reynolds, Sean Brassil, Cillian Matthews, Gary Keogh, James Guinn, Cian Matthews 0-1, Robert Brodigan, Conor Early, Sean Callaghan, Gerard Harran 0-2, David McTaggart, Emmet Kelleher, Rory Taaffe 0-1, Trevor Walsh 0-7 (5f). Subs: Kevin Keogh for James Guinn, Adam Brodigan for David McTaggart, David Lambe for Emmet Kelleher, Nathan Lewellyn for Gerard Harran, Niall Murtagh for Sean Callaghan, Sean Rice for Adam Brodigan. pace between two of the main contenders for the title and saw the Clans get off to the better start. Curran opened the scoring from a free before McGeown elected to shoot over the bar when he was through on goal.

However, the Brides took a grip on the game and levelled with quick fire points from Sean Brennan and Paddy Reilly. Aaron Hoey, who celebrated his 40th birthday during the week, put the Brides ahead before Sean Marry added a fourth.

The crucial score came on 14 minutes when an effort from Mark Hoey came off the upright and into the grateful arms of McKenna who planted it into the bottom corner to make it 1-4 to 0-2.

At half time it was 1-6 to 0-4 and when the Brides scored two points in quick succession from Brennan and McKenna in the 42nd minute they led by 1-9 to 0-5 and were on course for a comfortable win.

However, the Clans refused to give up and dominated the remainder of the half and although they got back to within two points, their total of six wides in the final quarter proved decisive as the Brides just about held on.

ST BRIDES: Darren Breen; Ronan Bailey, Laurence Steen, Padraic Mackin; Michael Keane 0-1, Andrew Smyth, Conor Deane; Mark Hoey, Alan Dunne; Shane Devin, Aaron Hoey 0-1, Sean Brennan 0-3; Kevin Hearty, Paddy Reilly 0-1, Sean Marry 0-1. Subs: Cathal McKenna 1-3 for P Reilly, Emmet Kirk for A Dunne, Stephen Kettle for S Brennan, Johnny Culleton for S Marry, Gareth Hall for A Hoey.

CLAN NA GAEL: Sean Smith; Ian Carr, Leo Martin, Donal Boyle; Craig Long, Stephen Fitzpatrick, Micheal McDonald; Robbie Curran 0-7, JJ Quigley; Conall McKeever, Paul Gore, Mark Newell; Paul Crewe, Mark McGeown 0-1, Billy Smith 0-1. Subs: Ray McCabe for M Newell, Drew Duffy 0-1 for S Fitzpatrick, Kevin Carroll for C Long.

REFEREE: Jonathan Conlon