Quinn proves the difference

Late goal inspires Ashford to victory over Barndarrig

1-10 0-12

ROSS QUINN was the hero of the hour for Ashford, as his superbly worked goal was the catalyst for his side’s rapid-fire final-quarter turnaround that saw them dispose of Barndarrig and reach the final of the Junior ‘A’ football championship.

In an underwhelming, error-strewn contest, Barndarrig seemed to be edging towards victory thanks to a solid performance from Michael Murphy in midfield and a typically disciplined one by the defenders. It was their lack of end product that was their undoing, however, as Ross Quinn’s quality goal sparked the vital Ashford revival.

If Valleymount were to watch this game back in preparation for the Junior ‘A’ final, there is little evidence to suggest that they would be altogether worried or intimidated by what they will have seen. Neither side were at their best and were guilty of significant errors in decision making. What was a slow firsthalf was nip-and-tuck for much of its duration.

Paul Ryan and Brian Coen traded scores in the opening exchanges, while Michael Murphy showed the first glimpse of his own abilities with a good score coming from a break from midfield. Coen once again equalised for Ashford before Barndarrig, who would spend the majority of the contest in the driving seat, retook the lead through Malachy Stone after Ashford had been turned over inside their own 45.

As the half progressed,

Barndarrig assumed the upper hand and ended with a flourish. Michael Murphy notched a free before Malachy Stone got his second score of the day after Anthony Quinn, who was causing all sorts of problems in midfield, turned over another Ashford kick-out, as Barndarrig went into the break 0-7 to 0-5 to the good.

While they had the lead, it was not until the early parts of the second-half that they started to get into their rhythm. They could, and possibly should, have scored the first goal of the day a couple of minutes after the restart, when Michael Cullen fisted an attempt at a point wide of the right-hand post, despite substititute Alan Power being in acres of space, unmarked, in the Ashford square with the goal gaping.

Despite this setback, Barndarrig remained the team in the ascendancy. Martin Cullen turned over Ashford possession before kicking off a lightning quick counter-attack that ended with Alan Power putting the ball over the bar at the end of a flowing move. Ashford were committing more and more men forward in order to salvage the game, and were therefore left open to Barndarrig attacks when they inevitably came out with the ball.

With ten minutes of the second half gone, however, matters took a game-changing turn. The ball was won back off Michael Murphy in Ashford territory before, two kick passes later, it was in the grasp of Brendan Manning. As the bodies piled forward, he moved it on to Dean Mooney, who lofted a handpass into the air on the edge of the Barndarrig 21-metre line. From there, Cormac Doyle produced a lovely, deft touch down to the overlapping Robert Keenan, who then played it inside to the onrushing, unmarked Ross Quinn. He then had the simplest of tasks of putting the ball past the helpess Manus Quinn with his left foot.

One Brendan Manning score later, and the sides were once again level at 1-7 to 0-10, only, this time, Ashford had all of the momentum. At this juncture, Brendan Manning came alive. Two further scores from him as the game entered the final ten minutes was followed by an exquisite strike with his left foot, coming in off the left-hand side, that gave Ashford a three-point cushion at 1-10 to 0-10.

The final five minutes contained more intrigue than what came before it. Malachy Stone should have scored a late goal with just the keeper to beat, but Lee Fitzpatrick sprawled his body across in time to block the shot down. Barndarrig did manage to drag the gap back to the minimum in injury-time as Ashford inexplicably surrendered possession in their own half, but it was not enough, as Ashford booked their date with Valleymount.

ASHFORD: Lee Fitzpatrick; Rian Dwyer, Michael Dickenson, Iarla O’Donnell; Robert Keenan, David Dowling, Michael Treanor; Danny Kavanagh, Joey Doyle; Robert Clarkson, Brian Coen (0-4, 2f), Ross Quinn (1-0); Cormac Doyle, Gavin Weir, Brendan Manning (0-6, 2f). Subs: Dean Mooney for D. Kavanagh (35), Colm Doyle for M. Treanor (35), Brian Egan for R. Quinn (54).

BARNDARRIG: Manus Quinn; Tom O’Shea, James Cullen, Kevin Cullen; Jack McCall, Martin Cullen (0-1), Shane Whelan; Anthony Quinn, Michael Murphy (0-3, 2f); Andrew Kavanagh, Paul Ryan (04), Michael Cullen; Benny Quinn, Malachy Stone (0-2), Cormac O’Callaghan (0-1). Subs: Alan Power (0-1) for B. Quinn (HT), Jamie Power for S. Whelan (HT), Stephen Cullen for C. O’Callaghan (43), Benny