Two Mile House hold off stiff Straffan challenge

IFC Group C

Two Mile House 0-10

Straffan 1-6

Two Mile House survived a robust challenge by Straffan to make it two wins from two in Group C of the IFC in Naas on Sunday.

A point to the good at the half-time recess, Niall Browne’s side found themselves facing a two-point deficit with 12 minutes left on the clock as their opponents rallied soon after the restart.

But the loss of Liam O’Donovan to a late red card meant it would be an arduous close to this match for Straffan who also squandered the chance to race five points clear after Two Mile’s Andrew May somehow managed to clear the ball off his goal line.

Browne’s men made the most of that reprieve to restore parity by way of points from Chris Healy and Aidan Casey before Brian Collins served up a late winner.

“We’ve two wins (in the championship) but we’re not performing very well” admitted Browne.

“Straffan were very good and were probably very disappointed not to win that game. I suppose our boys, playing at this grade a little bit longer. We’ve a well-conditioned team, we’ve a lot of big lads and maybe we had a little bit of legs on them.”

While Straffan ended the first half with six wides and another effort dropping short, Two Mile were that bit more efficient in attack and they made the early running with points from Peter Kelly, Max Barry and Declan Kirwan propelling them 0-3 to 0-0 in front.

PARITY RESTORED

Parity was restored 19 minutes in when Straffan’s Tom Donovan blasted to the net, but again Two Mile surged three points clear after Chris Healy, Kirwan and Aidan Casey all found their range.

Ruairí Power looked to be in for a second goal for Straffan, but his effort found only the side-netting.

Yet while they failed to square the tie on that occasion, a swift brace by John Tracey helped ensure that only the very minimum separated the two sides at the halftime break.

Tracey picked up, in the second half, where he left off in the first and hauled Straffan level with the third of his four points on the day after which, goalkeeper, Matthew Duggan converted a 45 to edge his side in front for the first time.

Aidan Casey’s point appeared to have arrested that mini surge by Straffan, who had Duggan to thank for not shipping a goal after Kirwan shot straight down his throat.

Paul Drewitt’s men made the most of that let-off with both John and Brian Tracey pointing to leave them two points to the good with 12 minutes to go.

Straffan, themselves, squandered a golden chance to rattle the net down the other end of the pitch as May clear the ball off the line.

And when O’Donovan was later dismissed, Two Mile pounced to haul this tie out of the fire as Healy, Casey and finally Collins all delivered points on the homestretch.

TWO MILE HOUSE: Luke Coy, Declan Kirwan (0-2), Andrew Cregg, Aidan Casey (0-3), Conor Keogh, James McGuinness, Tom Hennebry, Glen Burke, William Burke, Chris Healy (0-2), Peter Kelly (0-1), Caomhan Doolan, Max Barry (0-1), Andrew May, Brian Collins (0-1). Subs: Matthew Kelly for Burke and Shane D’Arcy for Barry (both at HT), Joe O’Sullivan for Kelly (33 mins), Peter Kelly for Collins (59 mins).

STRAFFAN: Matthew Duggan (0-1), Mike Tracey, Niall Devane, Alan Byrne, Rory Byrne, Cian Gaynor, Liam O'Donovan, Tom Donovan (1-0), John Tracey (0-4), Lee Donohue, Brian Tracey (0-1), Aaron Kiernan, Ruairí Power, Austin Allen, Andy Ó Neill. Subs: Ed Mather for Donohue (39 mins), Paul Donovan for Ó Neill (47 mins), Declan Reilly for Kiernan (52 mins).

REFEREE: Jack O’Connell.