Strong finishing Clonbullogue return to final for third consecutive year as Daingean fall just short

IN a game that could have went either way, Clonbullogue found the right answers late on to return to the Senior “B” Football Championship final for the third consecutive year as a battling Daingean just ran out of steam.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior “B” Football Championship semi-final

Clonbullogue 0-15

Daingean 1-9

Clonbullogue were marginally the better team and won because of a livelier attack but it would not have took a lot more for Daingean to have won. The scoreline is a fair reflection of the way this went as Clonbullogue scored fifteen times compared to ten for Daingean. Three points was the winning margin but as a unit, Clonbullogue possessed much greater threat up front.

Their key forwards, Keith O'Neill, Ruari O'Neill and Jamie Guing all contributed powerfully, each getting three points from play while Guing added two top quality marks in the second half. By contrast, the Daingean attack found it hard to unlock a vulnerable looking Clonbullogue defence. The winning backs fouled a bit too softly in the second half and this kept Daingean in it to an extent but only Charlie Hayes found top form for them. With Shane Tierney only playing well in fits and starts, Hayes did a lot of good work but Daingean only managed 1-3 from play and that wasn't good enough.

It was a very enjoyable, entertaining, generally open game of football with both sides going out to play, taking it on and, occasionally, letting the ball do the work. It was lively and the outcome hung in the balance to the end as Daingean chased an equalising goal and just failed to get one in the 59th minute when Charlie Hayes was just centimetres away from getting on the end of Cian Bracken's centre.

After losing to Bracknagh and Ballycommon in the last two finals, Clonbullogue will be desperate to get their hands on the silverware in the final against Cappincur. With senior football almost certain to go to ten teams next year, both finalists will have the option of promotion. Both should avail of it, and that will be the right thing to do, though Clonbullogue will have a decision if they lose it as they would really like to win this grade and have been knocking on the door for a few years. It wouldn't be as big a call for Cappincur who have won it in recent years but that won't become an issue until after the final, which both will be trying desperately to win – it would also be a huge decision to turn down that chance as it may not come again and it would be great to see how an exciting Clonbullogue team fare in senior football, irrespective of how they get there.

They did very well to win here, recovering superbly from a nightmare start when Daingean came flying out of the blocks to lead by 1-2 to 0-1 after four minutes. The goal was scored by the lively Odhran Connolly in the 2nd minute after Charlie Hayes did very well to race through a wide open defence and lay it off to him.

Gradually Clonbullogue settled and crucially, their best footballers stood up to be counted. Jamie Guing missed a great goal chance in the eight minute, sending wide with a near open net after a misplaced Conan Curley kickout but he got a couple of fine points in the first half. Keith O'Neill and Ruari O'Neill also got on the scoresheet as Clonbullogue grabbed a 0-6 to 1-2 lead by the 18th minute before Charlie Hayes got a Daingean free and Guing sent Clonbullogue in leading by 0-7 to 1-3 at the break.

Clonbullogue remained in control early in the second half, extending the gap to two points three times in the third quarter. Daingean dug deep, not allowing them to score two in a row and working very hard to close down players.

In the fourth quarter, Daingean got on top for a good ten minute spell and the Clonbullogue back line were in bother, coughing up some soft and unnecessary frees. Charlie Hayes converted two to level it up at 1-7 to 0-10 with twelve minutes left. It was anyone's game as Clonbullogue edged in front twice but Daingean levelled both times.

It was 1-9 to 0-12 with seven minutes left and it looked like Daingean had the momentum but Cian Bracken's equalising free proved to be their last score. With the game in the melting pot, Clonbullogue made the decisive burst, kicking three great points in a great two minute spell from the 55th to 57th minutes. The first of these was a super Jamie Guing mark and then Ruari O'Neill came good, floating over two points for that three point lead.

That left Clonbullogue three ahead and Daingean needing a goal to salvage extra time. Apart from Bracken's centre, however, Clonbullogue defended solidly late on, kept the ball, albeit flirting with danger, and eventually got across the finish line.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Peter Bennett (Clonbullogue): Clonbullogue had plenty of contenders with Keith O'Neill, Jamie Guing and Ruari O'Neill doing what was needed up front – Keith O'Neill may have been watched like a hawk by Adam Bolger but handled a lot of ball, even if a lot of this was way out the field and just failed to deliver the final ball on a couple of occasions. Diarmaid O'Neill had a fine game in the Clonbullogue defence while Jack McEvoy moved well at times at midfield and Peter Byrne's physicality was an asset.

The choice is a bit from the left field, a forward who didn't score and didn't look like scoring. Yet Peter Bennett had a big influence on this game, especially in the opening 45 minutes. He drifted back to his own half back line, cut out a lot of ball, used most of it with effective simplicity and most crucially, crowded the space in front of Shane Tierney to make sure he had a limited supply. Bennett tired a bit late on but still won some crucial ball back in his own defence and his work rate and ability to cover hard yards caught the attention.

Daingean can be proud of the way they battled. Adam Bolger was excellent in their defence while Charlie Hayes was a man of the match contender up front. Ciaran McEvoy mopped up a lot of ball in defence and Daingean were so honest in the way they played and worked.

THE SCORERS

Clonbullogue: Jamie Guing 0-5 (2 marks), Keith O'Neill and Ruari O'Neill 0-3 each, Lee Dempsey (1 mark) and Jack McEvoy (1 '45'' and 1f) 0-2 each.

Daingean: Charlie Hayes 0-4 (3f), Odhran Connolly 1-0, Cian Bracken (2f) and Shane Tierney (1 mark) 0-2 each, Casey Evans 0-1.

THE TEAMS

CLONBULLOGUE: Aaron Allen; David Dempsey, Jamie Quinn, Diarmaid O'Neill; Ryan Dempsey, Harry Judge, Ian Curry; Jack McEvoy, Peter Byrne; Cian O'Neill, Lee Dempsey, Peter Bennett; Jamie Guing, Keith O'Neill, Ruari O'Neill. Subs – Daryl Quinn for Cian O'Neill (55m), Joe Foran for Lee Dempsey (55m), Shane O'Brien for Ruari O'Neill (62m),

DAINGEAN: Conan Curley; Ciaran McEvoy, Adam Bolger, Ryan Conway; James Kelly, Cathal Ryan, Casey Evans; Scott Milne, Sam Wright; Cian O'Reilly, Cian Bracken, Danny Mangan; Shane Tierney, Charlie Hayes, Odhran Connolly,. Subs – Shane Marsden for Wright (36m), Jamie Duffy for Mangan (46m), Jamie Hayes for Connolly (52m), Aaron Byrne for O'Reilly (57m)

Referee – Kevin Williamson (Tullamore).

REFEREE WATCH

Kevin Williamson had an excellent game. His knowledge of football shone through, he was aware and got the vast majority of calls correct. He allowed a minute over the three minutes of injury time at the end but that time was there and his efficient refereeing contributed to a very entertaining game.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Jamie Guing's brilliant mark in the 55th minute was a crucial moment. It gave Clonbullogue the lead and they pushed on with the next two points.

VENUE WATCH

The dry, windy weather meant that the two games didn't take a bit out of the pitch and the game was well hosted.

WHAT'S NEXT

Clonbullogue play Cappincur in the final.

STATISTICS

Wides: Clonbullogue - 7 (5 in second half); Daingean - 5 (1 in first half).

Yellow cards: Clonbullogue – 0; Daingean – 1 (Cathal Ryan).

Black cards: 0.

Red cards: 0.