Fractious local derby win has Bracknagh quarter-final bound as two sent off in post match melee

A NOT unexpectedly scrappy, niggly and disjointed parish derby saw Bracknagh take a giant step towards the Senior Football Championship quarter-finals when they stumbled over Clonbullogue in Clonbullogue on Sunday afternoon.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Group 2 Round 2

Bracknagh 3-7

Clonbullogue 0-12

With the stakes sky high after both sides suffered heavy first round defeats and facing tough battles in round 3, it was no surprise that a tension filled, messy afternoon with a real niggle emerged.

Unfortunately it all boiled over after the final whistle when a general melee broke out with players and officials from both clubs in the middle of it, some in a peace keeping role. Referee Kevin Williamson brandished red cards to Clonbullogue's Ryan Dempsey and Bracknagh's Eoin Hyland for their roles in this melee and others were in peril of the same sanction.

We feared that there would be an edge to this game before the start and so it proved with both sides contributing to it with some rash tackles, plenty of verbal exchanges on the field and no shortage of comments from the sideline directed at the under pressure match officials. Discipline has been an issue for Clonbullogue this season and this reared its head again though they have to be saluted for showing terrific spirit in the second half as they chased down a ten point deficit, got back into it and a goal could have rescued them.

Their tour-de-force in the last twenty minutes ensured there was something memorable to reflect on from a footballing perspective and Bracknagh were not one bit comfortable in the closing minutes – some of their football was very mediocre late on as they lived on their wits.

With Bracknagh facing Shamrocks and Clonbullogue meeting Tullamore in round 3, this was a knockout game, a sort of preliminary quarter-final in everything but name and it was Bracknagh who were smiling while Clonbullogue are grateful that there is no relegation this year and they are assured of senior football next year.

Fate has not been kind to Clonbullogue this year as county midfielder Jack McEvoy was serving the second of a two game ban after being sent off in a challenge game weeks ago and an bad injury to one of their talismen, Ruari O'Neill was another abiding memory from this shootout.

After missing the first game with a groin injury, O'Neill came back earlier than expected for this one but his afternoon ended just before half time when he landed heavily in a goalmouth scramble – his injury was worse than it initially looked as an ambulance had to be called, resulting in an almost hour gap before the second half started.

By that stage, Bracknagh were on their way to victory with a 2-4 0-2 lead thanks to an early and late goal. Jason Dempsey got their first goal in the sixth minute, brilliantly sent in by an intuitive Peter Cunningham flick after the hard working Eoghan Geoghegan initiated the attack.

Geoghegan got an excellent two pointer and the second goal in the 27^th minute, a Peter Cunningham punch after Clonbullogue poorly defended a Fionn Dempsey delivery put Bracknagh in complete control at the break.

Clonbullogue should have been closer. They missed a few chances and Jamie Guing was wide with a great goal chance in the 19^th minute – he got a point as he was on advantage from an advanced mark but Clonbullogue were crying out for a goal and needed to take every chance.

With such a long break for the second half, it was almost a new game but it seemed the same old story was going to emerge as Colm Cunningham got in for a goal just thirty seconds after the restart to give Bracknagh a ten point lead.

Clonbullogue's first point from play only arrived in the 36^th minute, a Keith O'Neill score to make it 3-4 to 0-4 as it all became very ragged. Bracknagh picked up three yellow cards in the space of a few minutes and a two point free from Jamie Guing had it back to two scores, 3-4 to 0-7 after 40 minutes.

A nervousness was creeping in with Bracknagh supporters though Mikey Cunningham eased this with a 44^th minute free. A key factor in Clonbullogue's revival was a towering display from Cian O'Neill at midfield. He won a lot of high ball and when Bracknagh took the obvious remedy of keeping their kickouts away from him, they still struggled to win clean and breaking ball.

Keith O'Neill, who began to come into his own in the closing quarter, got a free and Jamie Guing got a great two pointer from play to bring it down to four, 3-5 to 0-10 with seven minutes left. The excellent Eoghan Geoghegan settled Bracknagh with a point but a wonderful two pointer from Lee Dempsey left just a goal in it with the 60 minutes just up.

Bracknagh were wobbling badly and a goal would have rescued Clonbullogue. Instead Mikey Cunningham tapped over a 61^st minute free awarded when Lee Dempsey chopped down Jason Dempsey. Lee Dempsey received a black card but Clonbullogue still came back for more. Keith O'Neill was wide with a two point free and Jamie Guing dropped in one with four minutes of added time gone – the final whistle went then and a few players went at each other before sanity was restored.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Fionn Dempsey (Bracknagh): A choice between Clonbullogue's Cian O'Neill and Bracknagh's Fionn Dempsey and Eoghan Geoghegan. Cian O'Neill had a terrific second half and was chiefly responsible for Clonbullogue getting back into it and not suffering a demoralising defeat.

With scores at a premium, Eoghan Geoghegan's four point haul, one two pointer, was a decisive contribution for Bracknagh.

Fionn Dempsey is my choice. A key member of the 2021 All-Ireland U20 winning side, he did not progress as well as hoped initially but is coming back out of his shell. There was evidence of this last year and he was very solid, efficient here. He didn't put a foot wrong defensively and was very good on the ball – he used possession well while he drifted into space to make himself available for team mates, continuing to do this despite him not being picked out on a few occasions.

THE SCORERS

Bracknagh: Eoghan Geoghegan 0-4 (1 x 2p), Jason Dempsey, Colm Cunningham and Peter Cunningham 1-0 each, Mikey Cunningham 0-2 (2f), Conor Melia 0-1.

Clonbullogue: Jamie Guing 0-6 (1 x 2pf, 1 x 2p), Keith O'Neill 0-4 (3f), Lee Dempsey 0-2 (1 2p).

THE TEAMS

BRACKNAGH: Keith Keogh; Adam Kelly, Tom Hyland, Charlie Keogh; Eoin Hyland, Fionn Dempsey, Sean Dempsey; Mark Dunne, Jason Dempsey; Ricky Geoghegan, -Eoghan Geoghegan, Colm Cunningham;Peter Cunningham, Mikey Cunningham, Conor Melia. Subs – Eoghan Kinsella for Ruari O'Neill, inj. (30m),

CLONBULLOGUE: Cian Corcoran; Ryan Dempsey, Harry Judge, Diarmuid O'Neill; Martin Judge, Lee Dempsey, Tommy Dempsey; Jamie Quinn, Keith O'Neill; Ruari O'Neill, David Dempsey, Cian O'Neill; Jamie Guing, Shane O'Brien, Daryl Quinn. Subs –

Referee – Kevin Williamson, Tullamore.

REFEREE WATCH

Fully aware of the rivalry between these parish neighbours, Kevin Williamson was on high alert. Both teams knew who was in charge and he handed the game very well, allowing it to run but quickly sorting out any rash tackles. He gave three first half yellow cards, two of them after a brief melee, and showed Bracknagh three in one early second half spell. It was not his fault that a melee erupted after the final whistle and while Bracknagh in particular contested a few second half calls, that fight was nothing to do with the Tullamore man.

I was close to the Bracknagh sideline and there were plenty of comments passed to the referee and linesmen. It was possibly the same with the Clonbullogue side and the one thing referees should do is enforce the rule that they can award a 13 metre free for comments by mentors or club officials. Williamson warned one Bracknagh mentor about this at one stage in the second half, a Bracknagh player urged another mentor to cool it later on, telling him that they could be punished for his intervention. It might be harsh on a team to be punished in this way but that rule is there for a reason and it would certainly cut it out if used – mentors would be quickly sanctioned by their own players if this happened.

It may be because of games being at rural venues and supporters much closer to the pitch and sidelines, but the amount of comments and questioning of decisions referees and linesmen have to endure has become very noticeable in recent weeks – it needs to be stopped but referees have power to deal with it and should help themselves too.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

It didn't seem to be that important at the time but Bracknagh's third goal from Colm Cunningham at the start of the second half ended up crucial and they may not have won without it.

VENUE WATCH

Clonbullogue were very keen to put their best foot forward for this home fixture. They had ample stewards, managed it very well and their pitch was in great condition.

WHAT'S NEXT

Clonbullogue meet Tullamore while Bracknagh have Shamrocks in round 3.

STATISTICS

Wides: Bracknagh - 10 (6 in first half); Clonbullogue - 9 (4 in first half).

Yellow cards: Bracknagh – 4 (Mark Dunne, Adam Kelly, Tom Hyland, Sean Dempsey); Clonbullogue – 2 (Ruari O'Neill, Cian O'Neill).

Black cards: Bracknagh – 0; Clonullogue – 1 (Lee Dempsey).

Red cards: Bracknagh – 1 (Eoin Hyland); Clonbullogue – 1 (Ryan Dempsey).