Deadly O'Donoghue seals in for Celbridge
Celbridge's Fergal Conway gets to grips with Johnstownbridge's Fergal Conway.
An emotionally charged Manguard Park was the venue for Round 2 of the Joe Mallon Motors Senior Football Championship on Sunday afternoon. This Group A game was proceeded by a minutes' silence in memory of Mick O'Grady after his untimely and sudden passing earlier in the week. His son, former County player and Captain, Mick, paid him a fitting tribute as he lined out at centre back before Celbridge overcame a stubborn Johnstownbridge effort courtesy of a Dean O'Donoghue point two minutes into injury time.
Celbridge made the perfect start with points from Liam O'Flynn, James Dolan and an Aaron Browne free inside three minutes. It took Sam Doran nine minutes to respond for Johnstownbridge in one of only four first-half scores.
Celbrige responded with another burst of three points, this time Fergal Conway, Aaron Browne and Paddy Wall all on target. Wall's point came after a brilliant move involving Mick O'Grady and Fergal Conway who put Wall clear on goal.
Johnstownbridge had plenty of possession but their accuracy into the Newbridge end was deserting them as they hit five wides in a row. A glimmer of hope arrived on 20 minutes when Sam Doran landed a huge two-pointer and when Paul Cribben fisted over a minute later the gap was down to two.
A fine catch and run from Kevin O'Callaghan, on for Killian Browne, saw the former county man set up Luke Murray for his first. O'Callaghan fired over his first on 24 before Fergal Conway showed power and pace for his second. Niall O'Regan played a lovely pass into Aaron Browne and the stylish forward tapped over with the left.
As half time approached, Johnstownbridge found themselves six behind, but when you need a two-pointer, Darragh Sloane is the go to man - and he didn't disappoint as he raised a pair of orange flags on 27 and 30 to leave Celbridge ahead 0-10 to 0-8 at the break. This was a more manageable deficit for the men from the Meath border.
Johnstownbridge made the perfect start to the second half as they took the game to favourites Celbridge Paul Cribben chipped in with a left footed point. Five minutes elapsed between scores, but when Luke O'Connor broke forward at pace his goal effort was lacking in pace but it broke kindly for Dan Flynn who poked it home and the Bridge were suddenly two up.
Celbridge are normally knocking at the door of championship honours every year and they drowned their quality with four scores in a row that saw them back in front. O'Callaghan repeated the first half pass to set up Luke Murray again, Paddy Wall and Murray again left it 0-13 to 1-9 as we entered the closing quarter.
Paul Cribben levelled again after he sold a dummy before firing over off the left again. Celbridge broke forward from the resulting kickout and substitutes Davy Hughes and Peter McAteer combined for the latter to fire low past Eoin Sheehan for a much needed Celbridge goal.Hughes and Kelvin McNally swapped points to keep it at three.
Johnstownbridge showed great resolve in the closing minutes to somehow edge ahead again with two pointers from Sam Doran and Darragh Sloane and as we entered the closing stages Johnstownbridge were back a point ahead.
Paddy Wall with his third levelled it in the last minute of normal time before substitute Dean O'Donoghue won it for Celbridge.
Johnstownbridge will feel they deserved a draw but Celbridge are experienced and operating long enough at the top table to eek out victories in tight games like this.
Roll on round three.
Shane McNamara; Eoghan Light, Kevin Flynn, Hugh McGrillen; Liam O'Flynn 0-1, Mick O'Grady, Tony Archbold; Fergal Conway 0-2, Paddy Wall 0-3; Mick Konstantin, Niall O'Regan, Killian Browne; James Dolan 0-1, Aaron Browne 0-3 (1f), Luke Murray 0-3.
Kevin O'Callaghan 0-2 for K Browne (15), Dean O'Donoghue 0-1 for O'Flynn (H/T), Davy Hughes 0-1 for O'Regan (39), Peter McAteer 1-0 for McGrillen (46), Cian Bolger for Mick Konstantin (52).
Eoin Sheehan; Ian McKeon, Tomas Von Engelbrechten, Sean McKeon; Luke O'Connor, Keith Cribben, Shane Flynn; Joey Higgins, Luke Flynn; Darragh Sloane 0-6 (3tp), Paul Cribben 0-3, Cathal McNally; Dean Kelly, Daniel Flynn 1-0, Sam Doran 0-5 (2tp).
Ronan Scanlon for Higgins (28), Conor Flynn for Kelly (H/T), Kelvin McNally 0-1 (1f) for McKeon (39), Luke Ennis for S Flynn (56).
Brendan Cawley.
