Forde fires decisive goal for Maynooth
Harry Dunne on the attack for Maynooth Photo: Sean Brilly
A goal from the experienced Tadhg Forde seven minutes from time proved pivotal as Maynooth’s second team repelled a spirited Broadford fightback in the second round of games in the UPMC Intermediate Hurling Championship group phase at Manguard Park on Saturday.
Forde’s pass had set up Daniel Hever’s early goal that put Maynooth in the driving seat throughout the first half and they looked comfortable when leading by 1-7 to 0-2 after 21 minutes.
But Broadford, looking to build on an opening round win over St Laurence’s, rallied with three points before the interval to bring the gap down to five and, thanks in part to a superb Josh O’Donghue goal shortly after the restart, they fought back to level matters at 1-10 apiece by the 49th minute.
Maynooth had lost their opener to Leixlip and couldn’t afford another setback so Forde’s classy take in the right corner from Luke Murnane’s pass, followed by a driving run and finish to Jack Dempsey’s net, proved crucial in propelling them over the line.
It was still a nervy finish for the Crom-a-Boos though. Luke Ennis and substitute Ben Bradley snaffled points for Broadford to narrow the gap to a single point, but Maynooth knew their luck was in when goalkeeper Cillian Madden’s long-range free bounced on the baking Hawkfield surface and cleared the crossbar.
Micheál Hogan then added another free to give them a three-point win, though only after Madden had kept out a late chance from Broadford midfielder Andrew Hill.
That late tension seemed highly unlikely in the opening quarter. Hever had already pointed a free when Forde crossed to him from the right and he finished neatly past Dempsey. It was ten minutes before O’Donoghue, a constant danger to the Maynooth backline, opened his side’s account. He might have gone for goal but preferred to take the bare look off the scoreboard.
That made it 1-1 to 0-1, but Maynooth powered on with six of the next seven points. Freetaker Hever converted three placed balls with Forde (two) and Murnane adding three more from play, the only response coming from wing-forward Rian Cully for Broadford.
But Broadford found the range in the run-up to half-time as they kept Maynooth scoreless for ten minutes. Luke Ennis, Jack Cahill and O’Donoghue (from a long-range free) were all on target as they narrowed the gap to 1-7 to 0-5 by the break.
Hever and Broadford substitute Shayne Boyle exchanged points after the interval before O’Donoghue’s goal gave his side a real lift. The full-forward drove towards goal from the right wing and batted home past Madden for a superb individual effort.
Hill and O’Donoghue (free) added points shortly afterwards either side of a Murnane point and we had a game on our hands.
Hever’s free pushed Maynooth two clear (1-10 to 1-8) in the 41st minute before a driving run from former Kildare footballer Killian Galligan almost produced a second goal for the men in maroon but he couldn’t get a decent strike away. That didn’t deter them though and two O’Donoghue frees, the second superbly struck from near the dugouts on the sideline, drew them level for the first time since the throw-in as Maynooth went another ten-minute spell without a score.
It wasn’t to be for the Offaly/Meath border outfit though, with former Kildare man Forde’s late intervention proving vital in securing two crucial points for his side.
Cillian Madden 0-1 (f); Kallum Gilligan, Willie Lamb, David Eustace; Cillian Price, Conall Knox, Kevin McNeill; John Harpur, Luke Murnane 0-2; Joe Millett, Harry Dunne, Niall Coogan; Daniel Hever 1-6 (0-6fs), Tadhg Forde 1-2, Ciaran Gorman.
Joey McNulty for Coogan 40, Micheál Hogan 0-1 (f) for Millett 47, Jerry Molloy for McNeill 51.
Jack Dempsey; Paraic Farrell, Shane Flanagan, Billy Hackett; Kieran Ryan, Killian Galligan, Conor Flynn; Shane Grimes, Andrew Hill 0-1; Luke Ennis 0-2, Eoin Sheehan, Rian Cully 0-1; Jack Cahill 0-1; Josh O’Donoghue 1-5 (0-4fs), Jamie Boyle.
Shayne Boyle 0-1 for Sheehan HT, Dan Perry for Boyle (temp) 34-45, Ben Bradley 0-1 for Cahill 57.
Killian Jones.
