Nugent nukes Barndarrig!

Important win for Ashford

ASHFORD BARNDARRIG 1-12 0-12

THIS was a good game of football. Wicklow GAA is not always the most positive of places but this match was enjoyable.

Both teams could feel like they deserved to win, in the end Aaron Nugent’s fisted goal in the 14th minute was the difference.

The visitors blitzed Barndarrig in a ten-minute spell in the first half to take control of the game, outscoring them by 1-3 to a point and as well as Barndarrig played to get back into the match they just could not overcome the goal cushion.

They had their chances with nine wides by the end of the 60 minutes, some easier than others, but it was Ashford’s efficiency along with Nugent’s lethal form in corner forward that sent the points in their direction and moved them up a couple of places in the league.

Gavin Weir stood at the edge of the square and he fisted over the first score of the evening when Robert Clarkson’s shot dropped just short. The sides traded two points each in the next five minutes and at the end of a frantic opening six minutes Ashford led by three points to two.

The Barndarrig tackling at this stage was very good, stopping Ashford from advancing past the midfield area. They forced the Intermediate side into inaccurate passes and won possession back. For the first ten minutes they were the better team without making it show on the scoreboard, their two points were matched with two wides.

Ashford didn’t have to work as hard for their scores, with Nugent they could kick the ball long and let him win it whereas Barndarrig’s points were more team efforts with lots of movement in support of the player with the ball.

Ashford weathered that early Barndarrig pressure and found a way through it to get the ball into the forward line. Weir located Nugent with a brilliant pass before he got a touch to a ball into the square for Ashford’s goal.

Martin Cullen replied with a free when Bernard Quinn was pushed over but Ashford added two more points from Nugent, a free, and Cal Connolly to make it 1-6 to three points in the 22nd minute.

At this stage it looked like Ashford would run away to victory. Barndarrig had other ideas. They squeezed four points into the final five minutes of the half, two from Cullen and one each from John Andrew Kinsella and Jacques McCall, to come back into the match. A Nugent free made it 1-7 to seven points at half-time.

Ashford started the second half the better team, Nugent fired over two points in quick succession to extend the lead out to five points. Barndarrig reeled them back in however with three points in ten minutes to put two between the teams. They also kicked two wides in that time and the missed chances eventually caught up with the home team.

The teams kicked five points between them in the final ten minutes and Ashford just had enough overcome their hosts.

Scorers – Ashford: Aaron Nugent (5f) 1-07; Cal Connolly 0-02; Michael Traynor, Ross Quinn, Gavin Weir 0-01 each.

Barndarrig: Martin Cullen (3f) 0-05; Michael Cullen, John Andrew Kinsella 0-02 each; Jacques McCall, Johnny Kennedy, Philip Kinsella 0-01 each.

William Hender-Phillips; Ronan Sugrue, Michael Dickenson, Iarla O’Donnell; Robert Clarkson, Daniel Kavanagh, Michael Traynor; Joseph Doyle, David Dowling; Cal Connolly, Brendan Manning, Ross Quinn; Aaron Nugent, Gavin Weir, Colm Doyle.

Jamie Roe; John Devereaux, James Quinn, Joe Toomey; Jacques McCall, Andrew Kavanagh, James Cullen; Bernard Quinn, Michael Cullen; Paul Ryan, Martin Cullen, Johnny Kennedy; John Andrew Kinsella, Philip Kinsella, Tom Doyle. Subs: Ian Jones for Joe Toomey (12 mins); Patrick Redmond for Tom Doyle (56 mins).

Eugene O’Brien

HOW THEY STAND

PWDLFA D Pt Carnew 7 5 1 1 79 66 13 11 Donard/G 7 5 0 2 100 68 32 10 Newtown 6 4 1 1 86 58 28 9 Ballinacor 6 4 0 2 80 77 38 Stratford/G 7 4 0 3 75 73 28 Billies 5 3 0 2 86 38 48 6 Valleym/t 6 3 0 3 98 69 29 6 Laragh 5 3 0 2 84 60 24 6 Ashford 7 20 5 79 109 -30 4 Barndarrig 6 2 0 4 59 76 -17 4 An Tóchar 5 1 0 4 42 49 -7 2 Knock/na 7 0 0 7 21 146 -125 0 LARAGH recorded a big win at home on Saturday last against Knockananna.

The home side were out of the blocks quickly and were five points to no score up inside the first five minutes.

Decky byrne’s side were winning a lot of ball all over the pitch and it wasn’t long until they had 1-10 on the board with the the goal coming from Mark Miley.

It’s no secret that Knockananna are in big trouble this year. Pat Lambe has a massive job of work on his hands with low numbers, injuries and retirements combining to leave the Carlow border side in real jeopardy.

Laragh added another 1-7 in the first half, with Miley getting his second goal of the game.

Knockananna got their first score from a free on the stroke of hal-time to leave the score reading 2-17 to 0-1 at the break.

Laragh introduced the full quota of subs and Knockananna did improve over the course of the second half, but the contest was long over by the time the final whistle sounded to signal a 3-23 to 0-5 victory for the home side.

Laragh: James Nolan; Ross Doonan, Peter Merrigan, Brendan Ward; Craig McCoy, Andrew Kenny, Ian Merrigan; Davie McDonald, Damien Hanlon; Aran Lynham, John Nolan, David Miley; Dan Power, Mark Miley, Eric Olohan. Subs: Stephen Curley, James Cullen, Alan Smyth, Wayne Kinlan, Kyle Merrigan, Evan Hawkins, Myles Conway, Keanne Murphy.

Laragh take on An Tochar at home this Saturday evening at 6pm in what should be a muhc

Ballymanus picked up a super victory in Glenmalure last weekend against Ballinacor with the bare 15 footballers making the journey.

The damage was done by the visitors in the opening half when Roan Lynch, Brendan Whelan and Padraig Byrne all got in for quality goals to help Ballymanus to a 3-6 to 1-3 lead at the break.

The second half was a more cagey affair with only seven points in total scored - four to the Billies and three to Ballinacor.

Both teams were missing a few regulars, and but for some fine saves from stand in keeper Kieran Whelan the result could have been much closer.

Ballymanus will welcome Valleymount for their next fixture on Saturday, April 21 at 6.30pm.

Ballinacor face the tricky trip across to Donard-The Glen for their next encounter on tuesday, April 24, at 8pm.

Carnew Emmets remain on top of Division 2 despite falling to their first defeat of the season at the hands of Stratford-Grangecon last weekend.

Stratford-Grangecon showed great grit and determination from start to finish and took some very nice scores from the very first minute when Diarmuid Cronin gained possession and sent over his first point.

From the kick-out, Carnew won possession and a good ball in to Brendan McCrea saw him hit a

Newtown clocked up a good away win against a strong Valleymount team on a scoreline of 2-12 to 0-13 last week.

The Magpies had a savage opening half and went in 10 points to the good of the westerners.

A few changes and some strong words at half-time saw Valleymount emerge a different creature and things started to pick up for the home side.

However, desp[ite the improved second half performance the Valleymount men ran out of time and Newtown move up one place to third in the Division 2 table.

Valleymount are away to Ballymanus this Saturday evening at 6.30pm while Newtown welcome Stratford-Grangecon on Tuesday, April 24.