Johnstownbridge progress past Clogherinkoe by the smallest of margins
The 'Bridge ran out 1-12 to 1-11 winners in Manguard Park
Johnstownbridge 1-12
Clogherinkoe 1-11
Johnstownbridge had to withstand a late scoring surge to survive against neighbours Clogherinkoe before booking their place in the quarter-final proper of the SFC at Manguard Park, on Saturday.
It was a game The Bridge looked to have in the bag with around ten minutes remaining, the gap was six, the difference was obvious, Daniel Flynn having a blinder and when he is this sort of form he is all but impossible to stop; and with the Cribbin boys in top form and Sam Doran not far behind (although he could do with, at times, looking around for a player in a better position rather than pulling the trigger at every opportunity) it will certainly be interesting, on this form, to see how they get on against Naas.
Clogherinkoe will probably feel they deserved extra time, debatable, but they had their fellow parish side under pressure late one.
Cein McMonagle had another fine game while Jimmy Lynch is one keep an eye on.
The opening half was a close and exciting affair with Clogherinkoe getting plenty of men back and breaking at pace while Johnstownbridge certainly for the opening 20 minutes or so looked to have upped their game from what we have seen in this championship to date.
Jimmy Lynch opened for The Cloghs while Sam Doran, in this is first start since returning from Down Under, had his side in the lead with two fine white flags.
Cein McMonagle had them level before a pointed free from the influential Paul Cribbin followed by a brilliant Daniel Flynn effort, and when Darragh Sloane added another The Bridge now led 0-5 to 0-2 with 18 minutes on the clock. That last point was set up with a Paul Cribbin crossfield kick pass found Ryan Rainey who in turn found Sloane who pointed.
Clogherinkoe were looking in a small bit of trouble at this stage but they certainly upped their game in the final ten minutes or so.
A well spotted foul inside on Cein McMonagle saw Jimmy Lynch fire over while Paul Cribbin added a free.
McMonagle, free, and Daniel Flynn exchanged points before the former converted a mark to cut the deficit to two but as we closed in for the break a brilliant Cian McMonagle point, after a lovely side step passed a defender, then fired over on the run to leave the half-time score reading Johnstownbridge 0-7 Clogherinkoe 0-6 and all to play for.
On the resumption Daniel Flynn added a point before Paul Cribbin made a brilliant break down the middle, passing to Sam Doran who palmed to the empty net and when Darragh Sloane pointed to make it 1-9 to 0-6 on 34 minutes it looked done and dusted.
McMonagle free and another from Jimmy Lynch before Daniel Flynn tore the Clogherinkoe defence apart with an absolute brilliant run that took him by a number of defenders like they were not there, eventually fouled and Paul Cribbin knocked over the resultant free.
The teams added two points apiece, and with just four minutes remaining there was still six points separating the sides.
Eoghan McMonagle pointed before a long ball into the danger area, saw two goal efforts being blocked and then it seemed Keith Cribbin had the ball under control, on his own goal line but he lost possession and it seemed Sean Kenny forced the ball over the line.
Now the fat was in the fire as The Cloghs, and their supporters on their fee, came storming back, Cian McMonagle pushed a free right and wide but another a minute later found the target leaving one between them.
Johnstownbridge held on to possession despite Clogherinkoe putting them under pressure but the final whistle arrived, the result, deservedly going to The Bridge, even if they did get one might fright near the end, with just that one point to spare.
Scorers: Johnstownbridge, Sam Doran 1-2, Paul Cribbin 0-3 (3 frees), Daniel Flynn 0-3, Shane Kenny 0-1, Josh O'Donoghue 0-1.
Clogherinkoe, Cein McMonagle 0-7 (4 frees, 1 mark), Sean Kenny 1-0, Jimmy Lynch 0-3 (3 frees), Eoghan McMonagle 0-1.
JOHNSTOWNBRIDGE: Eoin Sheehan; Sean McKeon, Tomas Van Engelbrechten, Keith Cribbin; Shane Flynn, Aaron McNally, Ryan Rainey; Joey Higgins, Paul Cribbin; Glen Doran, Darragh Sloane, Daniel Flynn; Josh O'Donoghue, Ronan Scanlon Cathal McNally. Subs: Fionn O'Grady for Josh O'Donoghue (61 minutes).
CLOGHERINKOE: Keith Wilkinson; Ben Kenny, Eoghan McMonagle, Joe Mulraney; Andrew Hill, Gavin Scanlon, Dean Hanley; Sean Kenny, Killian Galligan; Daniel Grehan, Mark Nolan, Aedan Boyle; Jimmy Lynch, Cein McMonagle, Joe McIlduff. Subs: Rory Phelan for Joe McIlduff (37 minutes); Niall Walsh for Ben Kenny (50 minutes).
REFEREE: Brendan Cawley.