Celbridge hold on to book semi-final spot
Andrew McNiffe scored an important first-half goal for Celbridge as they beat Ardclough to secure a place in this year's UPMC Senior Hurling Championship semi-finals Photo: Sean Brilly
Celbridge qualified for their first semi-final in three years in the UPMC Kildare Senior Hurling Championship, but they were pushed all the way in a hard-fought local derby before clinching second spot in Group B behind Naas.
Gerry Keegan with ten points and impressive midfielder Michael Owens, with five, were the shooting stars for Celbridge, who recovered well from their pounding by Naas, to see off a resilient Ardclough.
Andrew McNiffe’s first-half goal had helped Celbridge to a four-point half-time advantage (1-13 to 1-9) and they had stretched that to seven with twelve minutes remaining. But Ardclough, seeking a win to progress to the semi-finals themselves, rallied with substitute Patrick O’Malley firing two inspirational points and, when Martin Fitzgerald found the net with three minutes remaining, they were within two points of their neighbours.
A Seán Whelan free on the stroke of normal time narrowed that gap to the minimum but with Ardclough needing a win and therefore a goal, they were caught on the break when Alan Goss broke from defence and ultimately Owens fed corner back Ciaran Kirwan for a well-worked point. Fitzgerald replied with a free, but man-of-the-match Owens fittingly rounded off the scoring with his fifth point of the afternoon to see out the win.
Celbridge had flown out of the traps with the first three points of the game converted by Keegan, Goss and McNiffe inside the opening five minutes. Ardclough responded with an excellent Whelan snapshot on the turn but Keegan’s free restored the three-point advantage.
Ardclough were getting to the pitch of it now, though. Whelan pointed a free from under the stand and when Eoghan Walsh emerged with the ball from a throw-in, he offloaded to Tim Ryan who deftly stroked past Fiachra Ó Muineacháin for the game’s opening goal on eleven minutes. Cillian Burke added a lovely over-the-shoulder point to give Ardclough a 1-3 to 0-4 advantage.
They held that advantage until the 25th minute with the teams exchanging five points apiece, Whelan with three frees to add to two from play from Sean Coulston and Burke for Cloughs while Keegan’s three for Celbridge were augmented by Owens and Kieran Rubotham.
McNiffe’s goal with five minutes of the half remaining seemed likely to be decisive until the closing exchanges. Keegan fed Dolan through the middle and he offloaded to McNiffe who seemed to be fouled but got his shot away to beat Finn Leach.
That put Celbridge one ahead (1-9 to 1-8) and they pulled four clear by the interval with Keegan adding three more points along with one from Seán Gleeson with Darragh Buggle responding with a fine effort along the right wing for Ardclough.
The third quarter was low scoring with points from Owens, Keegan and Dolan for Celbridge responded to by Whelan and Fitzgerald. Further scores from Keegan, Kirwan and Owens saw responses from Whelan (two) to leave Celbridge six clear heading into the final ten minutes.
O’Malley pulled one back before veteran substitute Tony Spain fed Walsh, but he was denied by Ó Muineacháin at close range. Owens stretched the gap to six.
Fitzgerald’s goal set up a grandstand finish, but it was Celbridge who kept their cool to clinch a semi-final meeting with Group A winners Maynooth in a fortnight. Ardclough, meanwhile, face Confey in a relegation semi-final.
Fiachra Ó Muineacháin; Odhran Conaty, Colmán O’Donovan, Ciarán Kirwan 0-2; David Daly, Alan Goss 0-1, Seán Mimnagh; Michael Owens 0-5, Gerry Keegan 0-10 (6fs); Conor O’Brien, Seán Gleeson 0-1, Kieran Rubotham 0-1; Andrew McNiffe 1-1, James Dolan 0-1, Cian McGrath.
Johnny Owens for K Rubotham 48, Ben Elliott for Gleeson 50, Harry Rubotham for Dolan 60.
Finn Leach; Darragh Millar, Drew Costello, Maurice Sexton; Darragh Buggle 0-1, Kieran Brady, Seán Coulston 0-1; Colm Walsh, Tim Ryan 1-0; Seán Buggy, Cillian Burke 0-2, Seán Whelan 0-9 (7fs); Harry Maughan, Martin Fitzgerald 1-2 (0-1f), Eoghan Walsh.
Patrick O’Malley 0-2 for Brady 29, Eoin Mills for Ryan 38, Ronan O’Malley for Burke 41, Jonathan Reeves for Maughan 53, Tony Spain for Millar 53.
Matthew Redmond.
