Ghost point controversy can't stop Suncroft progressing past Confey in Kildare IFC

Suncroft came out the right side of a chaotic Round 3 showdown to progress past Confey and into the knockout stages from Group A of the National Electrical Wholesalers IFC.

The Croft were eight clear with 10 minutes to go after a staggering run of six unanswered points in the space of five minutes, few could have predicted how difficult those closing moments would be from there.

Jack O’Rahilly carried Confey forward and looked up before cutting across the ball to find Paul Divilly who had drifted forward from deep. The veteran midfielder fetched confidently and slotted his effort underneath Ciaran Troy to register the game’s first and only goal.

The gap went from five to three with the score that really ignited tensions in Manguard Park after Jack O’Rahilly took aim at the posts from outside the arc. The umpire on the side of the ball was unmoved with a feverish appeal from a Confey man behind the goals and an ongoing mystery as to where the other man in a white jacket was.

The view from the press box, the stand and seemingly from where the only present umpire was standing did not indicate a score but, after a brief consultation with that one umpire, a two-pointer was awarded to Confey, much to the shock of almost everyone in attendance.

Two minutes later, now with four to go, Confey were within one when Brian Grimes raised another orange flag with an effort that was definitely between the posts while Suncroft’s lead had shriveled to the minimum.

The eventual winner’s, much to their credit, closed out with incredible nerve and retention of possession with key carries and fouls won by the likes of Mikey Troy and Conn Kehoe.

Hugh Martin got the game’s final score to secure Suncroft’s progression and a two-point win after a game with more twists and turns than Lombard Street in San Francisco.

To kick things off in this Friday evening fixture, Confey opened their account after just 30 seconds with Brian Grimes able to take aim with far too much ease for the early throws of a vital Championship encounter.

Suncroft competed for the ball brilliantly early on but failed to do anything with it in attacking areas. Winning duels on the ground and in the sky made no difference on the scoreboard with The Croft putting together a run of five consecutive wides in seven minutes.

That spell could be distilled by Conn Kehoe’s superb fetch in midfield, strong run before he sent his shot wide in the eighth minute. It was all impressive from The Croft until the final moment.

Suncroft got their first point through a Fionn Dowling free from close-range but Confey quickly restored their lead through Neil Ryan.

Sean Murphy fisted over before Ryan picked up his second as Confey moved into a three-point lead just past the midway point of the first half.

Confey went four clear after 23 minutes with Suncroft still on a solitary point and the leading side were putting over scores, not at a rapid rate, but altogether too easily when they did hold possession.

Eoghan Lawless, having registered a couple of wides, showed his continued belief to drop over a two-pointer to lift Suncroft spirits and put a dent in the deficit.

Cathal Jennings nicked one back for Confey before Suncroft’s most efficiently worked attack finished with Fionn Dowling raising an orange flag of his own to reduce the margin to one.

Lawless was the man to restore parity when Eoin Magee offloaded to him and, under serious defensive pressure, he fired over off his preferred right side.

The half finished with the sides level at 0-6 apiece after Suncroft had found their range in the five minutes before the break.

Just as Confey had in the first, Suncroft opened their account just 30 seconds after the referee's whistle, thanks to Hugh Martin.

A Fionn Dowling free and a lovely strike from Senan Brannock after great work from Mikey Troy was answered by Jack O’Rahilly at the other end which left The Croft two clear with 10 minutes gone in the second half.

As the game entered its final 15 minutes, Suncroft took off at a rapid rate with their early scoring woes long in the rear-view. The leading side kicked six points in five minutes to lead by eight with just 10 minutes to go.

Brilliant link play set up Eoin Magee for his first before Conor Kiely also opened his account with a superb score from a tight angle.

Eoghan Lawless added another before Magee grabbed a second with Suncroft slicing through Confey at will.

Another Dowling free and Hugh Martin’s second completed the sequence and set up the grandstand finish which Suncroft emerged 0-16 to 1-11 victors from.

Suncroft: Fionn Dowling 0-5 (0-3 frees, 1 x 2pt), Eoghan Lawless 0-4 (1 x 2pt), Hugh Martin 0-3, Eoin Magee 0-2, Senan Brannock 0-1, Conor Kiely 0-1.

Confey: Jack O’Rahily 0-4 (1 x 2pt, 0-2 frees), Paul Divilly 1-0, Brian Grimes 0-3 (1 x 2pt), Neil Ryan 0-2 (0-1 frees), Sean Murphy 0-1, Cathal Jennings 0-1.

SUNCROFT: Ciaran Troy, Arthur Bailey, Danny Morgan, Jack Setright; Conor Kiely, Chris Phillips, Mikey Troy; Tom Martin, Conn Kehoe; Darragh Malone, Eoin Magee, Senan Brannock; Eoghan Lawless, Fionn Dowling, Hugh Martin. Subs: Harry Dillon for Jack Setright (42 minutes), Adam Talbot for Tom Martin (44 minutes), Mark Brown for Senan Brannock (60 minutes).

CONFEY: Colin Heeney; Aodan Jordan, Conor Dennehy, Ben Hourihan; Niall Cawley, Cathal Jennings, Aidan Crean; Paul Divilly, Kieran Kilbane; Brian Grimes, Josh Collins, Philip Hallinan; Neil Ryan, Jack O’Rahily, Sean Murphy. Subs: Niall Carney for Sean Murphy (37 minutes), James Gately for Neil Ryn (40 minutes), Ben Corscadden for Philip Hallinan (49 minutes), Andrew Breslin for Niall Cawley (51 minutes).

Referee: Jack O’Connell