Deadly Deano!
Celbridge Dean O Donoghue
Wing back Dean O’Donoghue was the unlikely scorer of a hat-trick of goals as Celbridge booked their place in their place in the Senior Football Championship for the 12th successive season.
Although Moorefield battled hard and made sure there was nothing easy for Celbridge, the Hazelhatch Road outfit were in irresistible form and now set up a repeat of the last two county finals against Naas in the last four.
With a strong wind behind them, they dominated the first half at led 1-12 to 0-4 at the break. The experience of the likes of Fergal Conway and Mick O’Grady was the heart of the performance for Micheál McDermott, while Kevin Flynn was also back to his flying best.
Moorefield could have been closer had they taken either one of their goals but Danny Hanniffy’s stop was brilliantly tipped past the post in the eighth minute by Shane McNamara and then ten minutes later Evan O’Brien was extremely unlucky to see his close range shot come back off the crossbar.
Moorefield knew they needed to come flying out of the traps in the second half to have any chance and they made a flying start when Aaron Masterson launched a free from near the 65 metre line that clipped the top of the crossbar on it’s way over for a two point score.
Flynn hit back for Celbridge but Evan O’Brien landed another two pointer in the 33rd minute.
But Celbridge were knuckle down and weather the early Moorefield storm and were crucially able to keep the scoreboard ticking over when the opportunity arose at the end.
Moorefield needed a goal but from the clearest chance they created through the third quarter, Adam Tyrrell’s powerful shot was too close to Shane McNamara.
O’Donoghue scored his second goal of the game in the 52nd minute and typically of Celbridge’s adventurous play, it came from the two wing back linking up inside the Moorefield 45 and Niall O’Regan passed to the pacy O’Donoghue and although his left footed shot was saved, he smashed the rebound into the roof of the net with his right foot.
Moorefield never stopped pushing and they got something of a consolation in the last minute of normal when O’Brien converted a penalty after Dan O’Callaghan had been fouled by McNamara.
But it was never going to be anything other than Celbridge’s day and O’Donoghue completed the best scoring day of his career when he tapped in at the back post in the 62 minute after Kinsella had initially done well to keep out Tony Archbold’s effort.
After Naas’ return to form on the previous evening, this was Celbridge sending out a very strong message they are getting towards their best form at the most important time of the season.
The semi-final between the pair is one not to be missed.
Shane McNamara; John Clarke, Eoghan Light, Cian Powell, Dean O’Donoghue 3-0, Mick Konstantin, Niall O’Regan; Mick O’Grady 0-1, Kevin O’Callaghan 0-2; Kevin Flynn 0-2, Fergal Conway 0-4 (1tp), Tony Archbold 0-1, Paddy Brophy, Aaron Browne 0-7 (1tpp, 3fs, 1’45), Killian Browne 0-2. Subs: Davy Hughes for Brophy, 49; Luke Murray for K Browne, 51.
Tom Kinsella; Liam Callaghan, Mark Dempsey, Dylan Corgrove, Sean Dempsey, James Murray, Dan Hanniffy; Ryan Moore, Aaron Masteron 0-4 (1tp, 1tpf); Eoin Meehan 0-1, Kevin Murnaghan 0-1, Mark Murray 0-2 (1tp), Evan O’Brien 1-7 (1-0pen, 1tp, 1tpf, 3fs), Ciaran Kelly, Adam Tyrrell. Subs: Dan O’Callaghan for Kelly, 22; Luke Sweeney 0-1 for Moore, h/t; Padraig Cribben for S Dempsey, 44; Jason Phillips for Tyrrell, 55.
Conor Daly.
