Barcelona next for Grange after solid win over Wexford champs
Grangenolvin's Oran Bergin is put under pressure by Cloughbawn's Nathan McDonald
Grangenolvin made it win number two in the AIB Leinster Junior Football Championship when they had five points to spare over Wexford Champions Cloughbawn on Saturday afternoon.
The game was in the seventh minute of injury time when Bob Whitty converted a late penalty but Grange were well in control at that late stage. The win secures a semi-final place in two weeks against European winners Barcelona. It will be another home fixture for the Kildare side.
Saturday afternoon was in stark contrast to the previous 24 hours of rain and although cold and breezy the conditions were ideal. Conall Bergin was making a welcome return to the starting line-up and he opened the scoring after three minutes.
Cloughbawn levelled on eight through midfielder Cathal Kehoe but Grange were back in front two minutes later when Conall Bergin landed a fine left footed effort.
Cloughbawn were enjoying plenty of possession and although Grange were wasteful with their chances the visitors drew level through Shane Keogh in the 12th minute. As the game passed the end of the opening quarter Grange started to turn the screw. In nine minutes they hit six points in a row, without reply, to move 0-8 to 0-2 ahead. Nathan Doyle and James Gannon hit points either side of two each from Conall and Fionn Bergin.
Bob Whitty pointed two frees on 24 and 26 minutes before Oran Bergin and Paddy Whitty swapped points to leave four between the sides as one minute of injury time was signalled.
It proved to be a profitable minute for Grangenolvin. As Conall Bergin let fly with a shot from 40 metres he looked like he would land his fifth of the half but the ball came back off a post into the arms of Fionn Bergin and he had the easy finish past James Flood.
The Kildare champions went to the dressing 1-9 to 0-5 to the good.
The return of the sides saw Grange face into a stiff breeze but Conall Bergin from play and a fine two pointer free from Brian Cullen gave them the perfect start. Cloughbawn midfielder Cathal Kehoe landed a two pointer free of his own and when Bob Whitty got his third free of the game the Wexford side were back within seven.
The sides shared four points in a rather quiet start to the third quarter. The Bergins, Fionn and Oran, pointed before substitute Paidi Cullen and Paddy Whitty both landed their first scores of the game for Cloughbawn. With Grange seven ahead they had to be very thankful to goal keeper Conor McMahon who produced a brilliant save from Conall Flood and then an even better double save from Bob Whitty when a goal looked the easier option on both occasions. It could have brought the gap back to four.
The Bergin brothers are always on hand when you need breathing space and after Oran pointed after 56 minutes, it was Cillian who made sure all four brothers were the scoreboard with his first in the last minute of normal time. Cillian was then denied a penalty when referee Niall Ward waved away the Grange protests for a blatant foul. It was just one of a few strange decisions from the Westmeath official.
Six minutes of injury time were signalled but Cloughbawn were soon down to 14 when substitute Paidi Cullen picked up a second yellow for a dangerous sliding tackle. As the clock ticked on towards 37 for the half the referee saw a foot block through a crowd of players and the visitors had a penalty. Whitty made no mistake as McMahon was eventually beaten in the Grange goals.
The win secured that home semi and although the Kildare weren't as impressive as in their win over St Brigids of Offaly two weeks earlier, David Conway's side will now have plenty of time to recover and prepare for what is sure to be a tough test against a solid Barcelona side.
Conor McMahon: Gavin Ivory, Lewis Gannon, Aaron Phelan, Dylan Costigan, Paul Huntingdon, Brian Cullen 0-3 (1tpf); Keith McGloin, Conall Bergin 0-5; Cillian Bergin 0-1, James Gannon 0-1, Timmy Doyle, Oran Bergin 0-3, Nathan Doyle 0-1, Fionn Bergin 1-3 (2f). Subs: Ross Dooley for Doyle, 33; Lee Doyle for Phelan, 42; Johnny Lawlor for Costigan, 42; Lee Doyle for McGloin, 52; Nicky Bowens for C Bergin, 58.
James Flood; Nathan McDonald, Darragh Keogh, Aaron Byrne, Liam Flood, Gavin Murphy, James Dempsey; Cathal Kehoe 0-3 (1tpf), David Doyle Murphy; Paddy Whitty 0-2, Bob Whitty 1-3 (1-0pen, 3fs), Shane Kehoe 0-1, Darragh Redmond, Connal Flood 0-2, Shane McDonald. Subs: Paidi Cullen 0-1 for S Keogh, 18; Kyle Murphy for Byrne, h/t; Colm Kehoe for Redmond, 36; Barry Sweetman for Flood, 49; Thomas Foley for D Kehoe, 56.
Niall Ward.
