AGB prove too strong for battling Knockananna

3-13 1-10

GOALS from Shane McBride (2) and Mark Hurley did the trick for Arklow Geraldines-Ballymoney, as an exciting performance saw them past a game Knockananna and into the semi-finals of the Junior ‘B’ football championship at the end of a highly engaging contest in Ballinakill on Friday evening.

AGB started the game well and were well in control thanks to goals from McBride and Hurley. While Knockananna would mount something of a comeback towards the end of the half through a well-crafted Noel Byrne goal, AGB remained the side in the ascendancy, as McBride completed his brace in the second period to seal their passage into the semi-finals.

With a berth in the final four up for grabs, both sides played the back-and-forth contest at a relentless tempo. With just 15 seconds on the clock, effectively straight from the throw-in, Knockananna very nearly had the first goal of the day, only for Johnny Wybrant to strike the corner of the crossbar. Up the other end, AGB made them pay with quickfire scores from Sean Hurley, Daire McBride, and Tommy New.

It got better on 10 minutes when AGB capitalised on their bright start with the opening goal of the evening. Daire McBride’s wild shot from beyond the 45 dropped short, only for Joe Kelly to parry the ball to Mark Hurley on the corner of the square. Hurley did well to turn on a dime and, from the angle, squeeze the ball beyond Kelly and into he back of the net.

Quite often, AGB looked positively ominous with ball in-hand.

Sean Crowley was dictating proceedings from the middle of the park, with Jack Furlong bombing on off the shoulder from deep. Shane McBride and Mark Hurley were in similarly ominous form further up the field.

Knockananna very nearly responded to that goal with one of their own when Stephen Hinchy bullied his way past Kyle Dowling and towards goal, only for Dowling to bounce back and excellently block down Hinchy’s follow-up shot at goal.

With that chance spurned, Arklow wet up the other end on 17 minutes to double their goal tally. Sean Hurley won the ball back in the middle of the park, thus allowing Jack Furlong to break forward in possession. He moved it on to Shane McBride, who took advantage of the acres of space in front of him before putting the ball into the back of the net to put AGB 2-4 to 0-3 to the good.

Knockananna lost Stephen

Hinchy to injury with five minutes of the half left, but they ended the opening period well, regardless. Derek Kavanagh split the posts with two fine efforts, the second of which being an exquisite strike with the outside of his right foot, before they gave themselves a lifeline with a late, late goal of their own.

Johnny Wybrant showed terrific vision and awareness to spread the play out to the left flank with a tremendous kick-pass. From there, Reid Byrne came inside before finding Noel Byrne who, having come on for the injured Stephen Hinchy, merely waited for Kyle O’Connor to move before putting the ball into the back of the net, sending his team into the half-time break trailing by just 2-7 to 1-7.

Byrne may have given Knockananna a glimpse at a potential way back into the game, but that was quickly extinguished within just two minutes of the second half.

Sean Crowley – an undeniable presence in midfield, played a good ball up the right-hand side to Mark Hurley, who then found Daire McBride inside. McBride tried to work space for the shot, but instead played it short for Shane McBride, who ran past Joe Kelly and sent the ball home.

With their lead extended to nine points, and Knockananna temporarily reduced to 14 following Johnny Wybrant’s black card, AGB were able to flex their muscles. Darragh Culleton notched a pair for himself, while Corey Mills and Cian Cooney – both of whom put in a Trojan shift alongside Kyle Dowling in the full-back line when called upon – each made their way up from corner and full-back to get scores of their own.

Knockananna tried to add a gloss to the scoreline through points from Damien Byrne and Tristan Maher, put AGB just had too much quality and too much strength in depth, with substitute

Donal O’Keffe capping off Arklow’s fine night’s work with an excellent score with his left foot off the right flank, as AGB sealed their place alongside Avondale, Bray, and Newtown in the semi-finals of the championship.

Kyle O’Connor; Cian Cooney (0-1), Corey Mills (0-1), Kyle Dowling; Thomas Lynch, Jack Furlong, Hugh O’Brien; Sean Crowley (0-1), Tommy New (0-1); Shane McBride (2-0), Mark Hurley (1-1), Sean Hurley (0-1); Daragh Culleton (0-4, 2f), Daire McBride (0-2), Neil O’Reilly. Subs: Garrett Kenny for M. Hurley (51), Cormac Hyland for T. New (51), Donal O’Keeffe (0-1) for D. Culleton (58), Luke Cummins for T. Lynch (60), Mark Fitzgerald for D. McBride (60+2).

KNOCKANANNA: Joe Kelly; Paddy O’Keeffe, Brian Leonard, James Leonard; Aaron O’Neill, Garry Bradley (0-1), Declan Whelan; Tristan Maher (0-3, 1f), Padraig Lancaster; Derek Kavanagh (0-2), Johnny Wybrant, Darren Flynn (0-1f); Reid Byrne, Damien Byrne (0-2), Stephen Hinchy. Subs: Noel Byrne (1-0) for S. Hinchy (25), Paddy Byrne (0-1) for D, Whelan (HT), Edward Bracken for D, Flynn (43). REFEREE: Eddie Leonard (St. Patrick’s)