Super sub O'Sullivan strikes late for Robertstown as they reach JFC final

Tom Cross JFC semi-final

Roberstown 1-5

Athgarvan 0-7

John O’Sullivan came off the bench to kick the decisive point for Robertstown as they dug out a hard-fought victory over Athgarvan in Clane on Sunday to book their spot in the final of the 2023 Tom Cross Transport Junior Football Championship.

The windy conditions were certainly not conducive to crisp attacking football on the day, but, even at that, Athgarvan will be wondering how they failed to chalk up more than just two points in the opening half.

Seven wides, that included several spurned goal opportunities, meant they were trailing 1-2 to 0-2 at the half-time break. 

Indeed it was not until the 27th minute that they finally got off the mark when Cian Doyle converted a free to cancel out Diarmuid Healy’s sublime early score for Roberstown that he curled in off the left wing.
Within the 21 minutes that separated those two points, Athgarvan passed up three opportunities to rattle the net, although

Cian Scanlon’s major in the opening minute of play had been chalked off, with referee, Anthony Herbert in no doubt as to it being a square ball.

Scanlon did go close again six minutes later after he followed up on Niall Murphy’s attempt that was parried into his path by goalkeeper, Richard Price, but he found himself off balance and consequently sent his attempt trickling wide of the mark.

Doyle saw another free rebound off the crossbar before Scanlon tested Price with a dangerous ball in that the Robertstown netminder spilled out over the backline - Doyle sending the resulting 45 the wrong side of the upright.

They were squandered openings for which Athgarvan were duly punished on the half hour mark when Dara Cosgrave unleashed a strike that was parried by goalkeeper, Evan Comerford only as far as DJ Percival, who needed no second invitation to despatch the ball to the net.

It was that goal that separated the two sides at the half, but Athgarvan began to slowly work their way back in the second half with points by Doyle and David Butler reducing the gap to the bare minimum.

Brion Kennedy landed a free to edge Robertstown two clear again on 43 minutes, but Athgarvan remained well in the reckoning with Doyle taking his tally to five and Jordan Nolan Mullally splitting the posts either side of a Percival score for Robertstown

But, with the prospect of extra time looming large, it was Robertstown substitute, O’Sullivan who produced, what would prove, the decisive point to propel his side through to the title match.

For Robertstown manager, John Donnelly, Saturday was all about just getting a result, especially in light of the challenging conditions.

“Semi-finals are not pretty. It’s about getting into the final, and it’s just great for the club” he said.

“There are things we wouldn’t be happy with in that performance, but we dug it out just at the end there.”

ROBERTSTOWN: Richard Price, James Keely, Anthony Moran, Conor Walsh, Dara Cosgrave, Niall Kane, Diarmuid Healy (0-1), Shane Ward, DJ Percival (1-1), Conor Moran, Dean Bagnall, Kevin Dowling, Jason Butler, Joe Kavanagh, Brion Kennedy (0-2). Subs: John O’Sullivan (0-1) for Moran (47 mins) and James Carthy for Bagnall (55 mins).

ATHGARVAN: Evan Comerford, Finn O’Brien, Calum Sourke, Cameron Hughes, Eddie Vaicaikauskis, Jack Lee-Parnell, Conor Cummins, Niall Murphy, Cian Doyle (0-5), Eoin Myers, Cian Scanlon, Jordan Nolan Mullally (0-1), Derek Craddock, David Butler (0-1), Derek Nolan. Subs: Patrick McAreevy for Scanlon (49 mins) and Frank Delaney for Craddock (53 mins).

REFEREE: Anthony Herbert