Village do enough
Leighton Glynn goal separates Rathnew and Bray men
RATHNEW BRAY EMMETS 1-11 0-11
BOTH teams were happy after this match, one that never really ignited though into a fully fledged intense battle.
For Rathnew, it’s their fifth win in five matches and a couple of their young players put their hand up for inclusion while some regular starters are injured.
For Bray, they are missing even more players for one reason or another and their young team remain comfortable in the middle of Division 1.
The game started slowly, one point apiece by the fifteen minute mark. Tadhg Dornan did well to save from Leighton Glynn in the first few minutes but beyond that, a Johnny Kinch free, and Glynn’s reply; the opening quarter was a stagnant affair.
Rathnew quickened the pace and kicked three points in the next five minutes. First, Philly Murphy took his marker on a tour of Bray and popped the ball over the bar. Second, Eddie Doyle converted a difficult free when the ever industrious Nicky Mernagh was fouled. Finally, Jody Merrigan floated over a 45 after Dornan saved again from Glynn.
Des Kelly replied with a long range effort off his left foot but the Rathnew defence had closed up shop by this stage. Kelly’s point was their first shot in fifteen minutes and when Johnny Kinch kicked wide moments later he was under all sorts of pressure.
At the other end Glynn and Mernagh were ordered not to try and walk the ball into the net by the team management and on the next attack they didn’t dare do such a thing, instead they combined for Glynn to make it five points to two coming up to half time.
Tempers flared when Bray were awarded a free but referee John O’Brien diffused the situation, dishing out three yellow cards and Kinch converted the free to make it five points to three at half time. The low scoring was a fair reflection on the half though the difference on the score board probably didn’t reflect the difference between the teams.
The second half was a much better affair in terms of scoring, even if the result was never in doubt.
Enan Glynn introduced some much needed intensity when he came on, intercepting poor passes here and there and winning dirty ball. Shortly after the restart his brother benefitted.
Enan gathered the ball and set up a counter attack, finding Luke Corcoran with the ball. He had a couple of options but he went long and this time Tadhg Dornan could not stop Leighton’s shot. That made it a five point game and Rathnew played the rest of the half like a school-yard bully who puts his hand on his smaller foe’s forehead and doesn’t let them any closer. When Bray scored to get closer, Rathnew scored to move further away.
When Johnny Kinch replied with a free to make it a four point game, Eddie Doyle responded with two on the spin and extend the lead to six. When Des Kelly added his second, Mark Doyle blasted the ball over the bar. When substitute Cathal McGee’s shot crept inside the post, Nicky Mernagh galloped up the field and kicked a beauty off the outside of his foot in the 46th minute.
Bray had a small chance of scaring Rathnew when they owned the ball for the next five minutes, the only Rathnew player to touch the ball was goalkeeper Johnny Byrne with his kick outs. However, whereas Rathnew could reel off three in a row in the first half Bray could only point one of their three shots. And, of course, Rathnew went straight back up the field to cancel out that point.
Bray continued to press for a result but they could only raise a few white flags in the final five minutes rather than the green flag they desperately needed to get any points from the encounter.
Scorers – Rathnew: Eddie Doyle (3f) 0-05; Leighton Glynn 1-02; Jody Merrigan (45), Philly Murphy, Nicky Mernagh, Mark Doyle 0-01 each.
Bray Emmets: Des Kelly, Johnny Kinch (3f), Cathal McGee 0-03 each; Diarmuid Masterson (1f) 0-02 each.
Johnny Byrne; John Manley, Jamie Snell, Paul Merrigan; Ross O’Brien, JT Moorehouse, Chris Healy; Theo Smith, Jody Merrigan; Philly Murphy, Eddie Doyle, Nicky Mernagh; Jack Healy, Mark Doyle, Leighton Glynn. Subs: Luke Corcoran for Chris Healy (25 mins, BC); Enan Glynn for JT Moorehouse (HT, inj.); Ciaran Coffey for Mark Doyle (43 mins); Danny Staunton for Philly Murphy (55 mins).
Tadhg Dornan; Mark Linehan, Dara Lohan, Ciaran McKay; Conn Benville, Shane Lohan, Padraig Bell; Dylan Terry, Des Kelly; Ben McCormack, Diarmuid Masterson, Johnny Kinch; Andrew Conway, Niall McGraynor, Cian Lohan. Subs: David Haughton for Cian Lohan (24 mins); Cathal Ó Duallacháin for Mark Linehan (34 mins, inj.); Cathal McGee for Niall McGraynor (35 mins); Gavin Dowling for Johnny Kinch (45 mins); Ciaran O’Connor for Andrew Conway (56 mins). John O’Brien