Cribbin ensures Johnstownbridge return to Division 1 in style
Johnstownbridge were crowned Senior Football League Division 2 champions after a win over Milltown Photo: Sean Brilly
Johnstownbridge were crowned Hanlon Concrete Senior Football League Division 2 champions after they produced a devastating performance that saw them score 4-24 and run out convincing 22 point winners over a Miltown side who never got to grips with the Bridge from the start. Both sides were already assured of promotion to Division 1 for next year and while Johnstownbridge are well accustomed to the top level Miltown are there for the first time in their history. They will be disappointed not to have finished it off yesterday but they ran into a Johnstownbridge juggernaut.
In a game that produced no fewer than 11 two pointers it was the seven that Johnstownbridge hit in the opening half that proved to be the match winning scores.Miltown started brightly and Patrick O'Donoghue opened their account with an opening free. The outstanding Paul Cribbin hit the first of his 1-7 tally and four minutes in Sam Doran fired over the first two pointer of the afternoon.
Callum Murphy reduced the gap with a fine run but Johnstownbridge were on fire as Ronan Scanlon, Paul Cribbin, from a free and Josh O'Donoghue all added two pointers. Luke Kelly combined with Ronan O Shea for a much needed Miltown goal but after 15 minutes the gap was four Johnstownbridge would hit the next 9 scores without reply. Darragh Sloane and Aaron McNally added points before O'Donoghue combined with Paul Cribbin and the Johnstownbridge captain made no mistake.
The accuracy from Aidan Dunne's charges was a joy and its been a long time since we saw seven two pointers in an opening half. Conor Flynn and Paul Cribbin added two more on 20 and 21 and as if things couldn't get worse for Miltown Dean Kelly added a second Johnstownbridge goal. Kelly had forced Omar Dunne into two earlier saves but when the tall full forward gathered Darragh Sloane's long ball he shot low past Dunne.
Keith Cribbin got forward for his first before Aaron McNally fired over the seventh two pointer from a difficult angle. Conor Sheerin brought a 19 minute spell without a score to an end with a third Miltown point but Johnstownbridge lead 2-18 to 1-3 at the end of an impressive 30 minutes Josh O Donoghue hit two from play either side of an Alan Dignam 45 shortly after the change of ends. Not to be outdone by their opponents, Miltown added two pointers through Patrick O Donoghue and Ronan O'Shea before O'Donoghue converted from play. Although the Johnstownbridge tempo had understandably dropped after the break they had time for two second half goals. Darragh Sloane added their third on 44 and Conor Flynn added a fourth ten minutes later Alan Dignam hit two late two pointers one from a free for Miltown but it was that man Paul Cribbin who showed all his class with two late efforts to crown a brilliant win for Johnstownbridge.4-24 to 1-14 was the final score when Fergus Devereux sounded the final whistle.
Johnstownbridge will look forward to the championship and based on this display they will get great energy. Miltown have been on a run over the last few years culminating in promotion from Division 4 to 1 in successive years Throw in Kildare and Leinster Junior Championships and you have a side going places.This defeat will be a good learning curve leading into the championship.
: Eoin Sheehan, Kieran Ryan, Tomas Van Englebrechten, Sean McKeon, Shane Flynn, Keith Cribbin 0-1, Aaron McNally 0-3 (2pt), Joey Higgins, Paul Cribbin 1-7 (2pt,2ptf,1f), Ronan Scanlon 0-2 (2pt), Sam Doran 0-3 (2pt),Darragh Sloane 1-1, Josh O'Donoghue 0-5 (2pt), Dean Kelly 1-0,Conor Flynn 1-2 (2pt). Subs: Cathal McNally for McNally, 37; Luke O'Connor for Scanlon, 44; Luke Ennis for Higgins, 53; Kelvin McNally for C Flynn, 55; Fionn O'Grady for Sloane, 57; Sean Holton for K Cribbin, 57.
Omar Dunne, Jamie Cross, Aaron Jacob, Sean Murphy, Karl Downey, Colin O'Shea, Liam Kelly 1-0, Conor Sheerin 0-2 (1f), Joe Dunne,Shane Daly, Alan Dignam 0-5(1'45,2ptf 2pt), Paddy Donoghue 0-4 (1f,2pt),Ben Curran, Ronan O'Shea 0-2 (2pt),Callum Murphy 0-1. Subs: Karl Heuston for Curran, 50 Tomas Hamilton for Daly, 57; Conor Robinson for Downey, 57.
Fergus Devereux
