All square as Raheens and Johnstownbridge advance

Johnstownbride 0-11

Raheens 0-11

The final match of Group C in the Senior Football Championship came on a sunny and dry Sunday afternoon in Conneff Park as Raheens and Johnstownbridge played out a tight and defensive based match.

Raheens did enough to salvage a draw, leaving their superior scoring difference to advance them into a quarter-final, while their opponents savour a preliminary quarter-final with local rivals Clogherinkoe.

The Bridge definitely had the better start. Aaron McNally scored with the outside of his right foot from a tight angle after two minutes, yet the lead should have grew, as two golden opportunities for goal arrived; first for Daniel Flynn in the fourth minute, when his trikery and galloping run was foiled by the post, while two minutes later Shane Flynn’s low ball into Luke O’Connor was pulled on, only for David MacPartlin to tip the ball onto the crossbar.

The Raheens response came from a Gavin Thompson free in the 11 minute, only for Cathal McNally and first Paul Cribbin to extend Johnstownbridge’s lead to two by the 18 minute.

Raheens would dominate the rest of the half, scoring three on the bounce, thanks to Niall Dolan's shot from 40 metres out, Gavin Thompson’s mark and Fionn Tully’s gliding score to put the men in saffron and blue ahead for the first time.
Ronan Scanlon replied in the 25 minute, but frees from Gavin Thompson and David MacPartlin from just outside the 45 left Raheens 0-6 to 0-4 in-front at the break.

Johnstownbridge would begin the second-half the better of the two teams; Josh O’Donoghue’s mark got them up and running in the 35 minute, while Daniel Flynn’s mark and O’Donoghue’s point on the wrap around had tied the teams in the 42 minute, as Gavin Thompson had slotted over a free a minute prior.

Raheens could have scored a goal moments before Thompson’s score too when Niall Dolan went on a stampeding run, only for Eoin Sheehan to get his left paw at the ball at the near post. Dolan did score four minutes after his attempt on goal, along with

Jack Taffe’s lovely curling effort, while Johnstownbridge fired back thanks to a monster score near the side-line from Darragh Sloane, and Eoin Sheehan’s 45.

Gavin Thompson from a tight angle and Paul Cribbin from a free then traded points heading into added-time, and then a chaotic three minutes ensued. Thompson wraped around Jack Taffe to point in the 60 minute, while one minute into added-time, substitute Sam Doran to snatch a draw from 45 metres out.

Two minutes later, Dara Crowley’s chance to win the match for Raheens was foiled by the opposing upright, but a draw was settled.

RAHEENS: David MacPartlin 0-1 (0-1f); Niall Cramer, Jack Hamill, Tom Early; Conor Earley, Fionn Tully 0-1, Graham Waters; Matthew Betts-Symonds, Dara Crowley; Fionn Cooke, Niall Dolan 0-2, Luke O’Donovan; Shane Crowley, Jack Taffe 0-1, Gavin Thompson 0-6 (0-3f, mark). Subs: Daniel Hamill for Tom Early (40); Conor Kelly for Luke O’Donovan (48), Colm Power for Fionn Cooke (53), Liam Power for Matthew Betts-Symonds (56).

JOHNSTOWNBRIDGE: Eoin Sheehan 0-1 (0-1’45); Sean McKeon, Tomas Van Englebrechten, Joey Higgins; Shane Flynn, Aaron McNally 0-1, Ryan Rainey; Dean Kelly, Paul Cribbin 0-2 (0-1f); Luke O’Connor, Darragh Sloane 0-1, Ronan Scanlon 0-1; Josh O’Donoghue 0-2 (0-1mark), Daniel Flynn 0-1 (mark), Cathal McNally 0-1. Subs: Sam Doran 0-1 for Luke O’Connor (35), Ian McKeon for Dean Kelly (51), Fionn O’Grady for Cathal McNally (58).

Referee: Fergus Devereux.