Edenderry snatch point to move towards semi-final as Ferbane spurn golden chance of win

EDENDERRY took a giant step towards the semi-finals of the Senior Football Champiuonship when coming back from the dead to snatch a point against a Ferbane side that frustrated their supporters with a very mixed display in Tullamore on Saturday afternoon.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Group 2 Round 2

Edenderry 0-13

Ferbane 0-13

Excellent for much of the first half, Ferbane only managed four points with a strong wind on their back in the second half. It may have been a hard wind to play with as Edenderry also struggled badly with it in the first half but Ferbane really threw away a golden chance of winding down their group campaign with a win.

It means that Ferbane are through to the quarter-finals with five points from their four games but they still haven't ignited fully yet and have considerable improving to do. The draw was enough for them and it ended Ballycommon's tenuous chances of making the quarter-finals but Ferbane will be hoping that they can turn it on now that they are in knockout football – they have a month to prepare for that and hurling star Oisin Kelly came on as a late sub here while former county hurler Paddy Clancy should also come back into the equation.

It was Edenderry's worse display of the campaign, though they showed great character to turn it around after a really poor first half display. A point from their final group game against Ballycommon will be enough for top spot in the group and a semi-final place and that is the bottom line for Edenderry.

It was definitely a point won by Edenderry, one dropped by Ferbane but in the broader scheme of things, it doesn't matter that much and even a win was unlikely to propel Ferbane into the semi-finals – that would have opened up the likelihood of Edenderry, Ferbane and Rhode all tying on six points and Edenderry would still have topped the group on scoring difference if this happened.

Ferbane gave themselves a great chance of winning the game with a really good display into the wind in the first half. Controlled and patient on the ball, they were the better side by a distance and should have been further ahead than 0-9 to 0-6 at the break.

They were 0-3 to no score down after seven minutes, Cian Farrell getting a huge Edenderry two pointer from distance but by the time Aaron Murphy got their fourth point in the 26^th minute, Ferbane had nine points on the board.

Ferbane were excellent in that twenty minute spell with Adam Egan getting three points as five players scored. They could have got a goal as well, Rory Egan got back well to keep out a Darragh Flynn shot in the 10^th minute, Brian Carroll had a chance deflected out for a '45' that Cathal Flynn floated over and Adam Egan's third point was a dipper that went over off the top of the cross bar.

Edenderry were in bother and had three subs introduced before half time but they managed to steady the ship coming up to the interval, scoring the last three points to give themselves a chance.

Both sides missed good early chances in the second half with Aaron Murphy punching wide with the goal at his mercy for Edenderry while Cathal Flynn was wide with a scoreable two point free for Ferbane and Cian Johnson drew a good save from Cormac Hurley – though he probably should have tapped over the bar.

Cian Murphy almost got in for an Edenderry goal in a frantic restart but Adam Nugent got across to make the save, Cian Farrell sending the '45' wide. Both sides did a lot of messing, spilling possession and missing chances before Cathal Flynn's 40^th minute two point free trumped Kaelem Bryan's opener for Edenderry to make it 0-11 to 0-7.

0-12 to 0-7 up after 15 minutes, Darragh Flynn missed a great chance to wrap it up when he was too casual from five metres, allowing Adam Mahon to get back to clear off the line.

After this, Ferbane seemed to be doing their utmost to lose it as they played some very sloppy football and didn't attack at pace. They carried the ball into traffic and it was all very frustrating for their supporters as they allowed Edenderry back into it.

It was 0-12 to 0-11 with time almost up as Adam Nugent made a terrific double save to deny Jordan Hayes and Aaron Murphy what appeared sure fire goals in the 26^th and 27^th minutes. Cian Johnson's free made it 0-13 to 0-11 in injury time but late points from Cillian Foran and a Cian Farrell free saw Edenderry snatch a draw.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Adam Nugent (Ferbane): Both teams will be wondering how they didn't score a goal and Ferbane goalkeeper Adam Nugent gets the nod by virtue of his great late saves from Jordan Hayes and Cian Murphy as well as dealing efficiently with dangerous ball in.

Cathal Flynn also had a massive influence for Ferbane but it was a disjointed, patchy, unconvincing display by both sides with a lot of players making mistakes and playing well in spells rather than consistently.

THE SCORERS

Ferbane: Cian Johnson 0-4 (2f), Adam Egan 0-3, Cathal Flynn 0-3 (1 2pf, 1 '45')), Kyle Higgins, Jack Clancy, Darragh Flynn 0-1 each.

Edenderry: Cian Farrell 0-6 (1 x 2p, 4f), Kaelum Bryan 0-2 (1f), Rory Egan, Jordan Hayes, Cian Murphy, Aaron Murphy, Cillian Foran 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

EDENDERRY: Cormac Hurley; Sean Pender, Eoin Dunne, Adam Mahon; Rory Egan, Lee Pearson, Harry Goulding; Jordan Hayes, David Moloney; Cian Murphy, Aaron Murphy, Kaelem Bryan; Mason Farrell, Cian Farrell, Sean Doyle. Subs – Alan Harte for Moloney (20m), Dylan Byrne for Mason Farrell (22m), Cillian Foran for Doyle (29m), Cillian Lowry for Cian Murphy (47m),

FERBANE: Adam Nugent; Aaron McCabe, Ciaran Cahill, Conor Dunican; David Nally, Mark Wren, Kevin Nugent; Conor Grennan, Catrhal Flynn; Brian Carroll, Kyle Higgins;, Jack Clancy; Cian Johnson, Adam Egan, Darragh Flynn. Subs – Oisin Kelly for Darragh Flynn (50m), Ronan Flynn for Carroll (54m), Eoghan Grennan and Adam Egan (63m),

Referee – Eamon O'Connor, Ballycommon.

REFEREE WATCH

Eamon O'Connor had a very good game for 50 minutes but it got away from him a bit late on. With linesmen talking to him, there was uncertainty about some decisions and it got a bit messy while Edenderry's late free was not for an obvious foul as Ferbane were coming out with the ball but the referee must have had his reasons. Overall O'Connor refereed it fairly and he wasn't the reason Ferbane didn't win or Edenderry grabbed a point. Conor Dunican was lucky not to pick up a second yellow for a sloppy foul on Dylan Byrne midway through the second half.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Edenderry's final point from a Cian Farrell point was the big moment here.

VENUE WATCH

O'Connor Park was in excellent condition after a good rest.

WHAT'S NEXT

Ballycommon play Edenderry while Ferbane have completed their group games.

STATISTICS

Wides: Ferbane – 8 (2 in first half); Edenderry – 5 (2 in first half).

Yellow cards: Ferbane – 1 (Conor Dunican); Edenderry – 0;

Black cards:- 0

Red cards: 0