PREVIEW: Kildare's Grangenolvin set to tackle Wexford IFC winners in Leinster Quarter-Final

Kildare Junior Champions Grangenolvin will once again line out in Cedral St Conleth’s Park for their second Leinster Junior Championship outing against Wexford Intermediate ‘A’ champions Cloughbawn on November 15 at 1:30pm.

The Wexford men met Dublin’s St Finian’s Swords in their provincial opener and caused an upset with a late burst of 2-3 without reply to emerge victorious. The Dublin side, who held a one-point advantage at half-time, led by two coming down the home stretch but were cut apart by the free-flowing Wexford men who ended up with a seven-point victory following a devastating closing few minutes in Parnell Park from the visitors. Overall, it was their goal threat that got them over the line with a 4-9 to 0-14 win in their Leinster JFC Round 1 tie.

Cloughbawn were inspired to victory, as they have been all year by Wexford hurler and clearly adept footballer Connal Flood, who scored a hattrick against the Dublin outfit to add yet another huge moment to his back catalogue of heroics this year. Flood was also on hand to dispatch a penalty in his club’s Intermediate Semi-Final 6-5 shootout victory over Duffry Rovers, as well as having a starring role in their 0-16 to 0-13 IFC Final win over Bannow-Ballymitty. Flood, alongside Shane Kehoe and brothers Bob and Paddy Whitty will be among the key men for the Wexford side as they tackle the Kildare Junior champs.

Grange of course also trailed their Leinster opener too with St Brigid’s Croghan making a much better start to proceedings in Newbridge. The visitors led by 1-6 to 0-4 at the break before being reduced to just one second half point in a 1-16 to 1-7 defeat. One element of that turnaround was one of Grange’s best players, Conall Bergin, who was introduced after the break and made a mighty difference in the middle of the park. With the game won, Bergin was then taken back off with four minutes to go and his full fitness could be crucial to their success in this game. 

One criticism of Grange last time out and at various points has been starting games slowly and, with Cloghbawn’s eye for goal, that needs to be eradicated here if they are to progress from what should be a fascinating contest.

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