Newbridge march on, but Steelstown hopes fading

O’Neills Senior Football Championship Group B 

Newbridge 0-11 

Steelstown 0-8 

NEWBRIDGE continued their winning run with a fourth success of the campaign and, with it, all but ending any hopes Steelstown had of making the knockout stages when the sides met on Saturday afternoon. 

A strong swirling wind made it difficult for both sides and as a spectacle it was a poor affair but the closeness always left it intriguing. The home side had the aid of the wind in the opening period and edged ahead 0-5 to 0-3 at the interval. Steelstown had plenty of the possession but struggled to breakdown a well-marshalled Newbridge side, the visitors dealt a blow on the stroke of half-time when Ben McCarron was black carded for pulling down Oisin Doherty as he broke clear following a turnover. 

Conleith McGrogan cooly slotted over the opener and then Oisin Doherty added a second when he swung over from the ’45. The visitors had plenty of ball but were happy passing it around in front of Newbridge waiting an opportunity to try and prise the opening. That first opportunity fell to Calum Deery but it tailed out and wide. 

Newbridge seemed content also as it was like cat and mouse, the hosts pouncing when the ball came into the scoring zone and always knowing a turnover could be crucial in breaking quickly. Once such moment almost created a goal chance for Oisin Doherty and a long delivery found Doherty in behind with an empty goal but unfortunately for him the ball was out wide and credit to Steelstown they forced him out over the end line; a warning though of what could happen if Steelstown lost possession. 

Deery opened their scoring on 17 minutes with a fine effort. Shane McGrogan quickly restored the two point advantage but a McCarron point and then a Cahir McMonagle one from a free and suddenly it was level. James Gribben came forward and had the confidence to have a go from outside the ’45 to edge the hosts back in front. McCarron received his black card and a point from Ronan Doherty saw Newbridge lead by two at the break. 

Steelstown knew they needed a big second half to keep their championship alive and Deery give them the perfect start with a point following a foul on Neil Forester. Oisin Doherty cancelled this out though but the visitors then had McCarron back into the game and he was to have a huge impact. 

While Oisin Doherty tested the palms of Mickey McKinney to palm over, Steelstown never panicked and came roaring back with McCarron central. Substitute Cathal Deery with his first touch split the posts. Oisin Doherty with a free moved the gap back to three but McCarron with a mark left it a two point game with 12 minutes remaining. 

McCarron was surprisingly wide when he worked himself into position but then landed one and it was one point game. McCarron almost created a goal when he took on the defence before fisting across to the inrushing Diarmuid Baker but he was stretching and could not get a strong enough touch and Gribben gathered easily as it came goal-wards. 

Conleith McGrogan struck his second of the game with six minutes remaining and a further Oisin Doherty free stretched it out to two. Ryan Devine reduced it to the minimum again before players from both sides became involved in a scuffle that took sometime to calm down but it did and at the end of it all, it saw the dismissal of a player from both sides Mark McGrogan for a straight red and Ryan Devine for two yellows. When play resumed from the throw-up, Newbridge won a free and Oisin Doherty slotted it between the posts. 

Steelstown had one last attack but when the ball was dropped into the square the whistle sounded for a square ball and with it the final whistle followed. 

Newbridge will wrap up their group with a visit to Ballinascreen while for Steelstown it is a trip to Lavey needing nothing less then a victory if they are to be going to the quarter-finals. 

Team and Scorers

Newbridge: Oisin Doherty 0-6 (4f), Conleith McGrogan 0-2, Shane McGrogan, James Gribben and Ronan Doherty 0-1 each 

Steelstown: Ben McCarron 0-3 (1m), Calum Deery 0-2 (1f), Cahir McMonagle (f), Ryan Devine and Cathal Deery 0-1 each 

Newbridge: James Gribben; Ronan Doherty, Killian Burke, Mark McGrogan; Shea McAteer, Conor McGrogan, Aodhan Young; Conor Doherty, Conleith McGrogan; Odhran McGlone, Callum McGrogan, Conor McAteer; Sean Young, Shane McGrogan, Oisin Doherty. 

Subs: Aidan McGlone for A Young. 

Steelstown: Mickey McKinney; Ruairi McShane, Ryan McCloskey, Diarmuid Baker; Eoin Canavan, Shane O’Connor, Odhran Campbell; Donncha Gilmore, Ryan Devine; Ben McCarron, Oran McMenamin, Calum Deery; Neil Forester, Cahir McMonagle, Eoghan Concannon. 

Subs: Cathal Deery for R McShane, Daniel McAteer for E Canavan. 

Referee: Caolan Hazlett