Extremely poor fare as The Bridge edge it over Carbury

Johnstownbridge 1-8

Carbury 0-10

Johnstownbridge may have got their expected win over neighbouard Carbury but it was a game that will not be recalled or remembered for very long such was the poor quality of what was on offer, paerticularly in the secnd half.

Johnstownbridge were in conterol throughout the opening half and led 1-7 to 0-3 at the break but the fact that they only scored a single point, and that from corner back Sean McKeon, in the entire second half tells it all.

Carbury laboured for long periods but it was Jack Cully who dragged his team by the scruff of the neck to get within a single point with a few minutes remaining before the final arrived, much no doubt to the relief of The Bridge and to the despair of Carbury who will probably feel they should have deserved something from this.

A goal in the opening two minutes for Johnstown-

bridge suggested this could be a one-way affair. Paul Cribbin setting up Josh O'Donoghue who filled the net.

Daniel Flynn, Paul Cribbin (3 frees) made it 1-5 to 0-3 with the Carbury points coming from Alan Kearney, James Kelly and Eoin Cully.

The Bridge led at the break 1-7 to 0-3 and while Sean McKeon added to the JTB on 36, after David Kelly and Jack Cully had reduced the lead but little did we know that was the score The Bridge would get for the entire second half.

Jack Cully added four points (2 frees), Jimmy Dunne another as Carbury got to within a point but time caught up on them as The Bridge held out for a one point win — 1-8 to 0-10.

Scorers: Johnstownbridge, Paul Cribbin 0-3 (3 frees), Josh O'Donoghue 1-0, Daniel Flynn 0-2, Darragh Sloane 0-1, Fionn O'Grady 0-1, Sean McKeon 0-1.

Carbury, Jack Cully 0-5 (2 frees), Alan Kearney 0-1, James Kelly 0-1, Eoin Cully 0-1, David Kelly 0-1, Jimmy Dunne 0-1.

JOHNSTOWNBRIDGE: Eoin Sheehan; Sean McKeon, Tomas Van Englebrechten, Ronan Scanlon; Shane Flynn, Keith Cribbin, Ryan Rainey; Joey Higgins, Paul Cribbin; Luke O'Connor, Darragh Sloane, Daniel Flynn; Josh O'Donoghue, Fionn O'Grady, Cathal McNally. Subs: Aaron McNally for Fionn O'Grady (52 minutes).

CARBURY: Declan Conroy; Jimmy Dunne, Paul Fleming, Brian Milmoe; Ciaran McKeon, Stephen McKeon, James Carey, Tommy Gill; Alan Kearney, David Kelly; Jack Smith, Conor Gallagher, Jack Cully; Eoin Cully, James Kelly, Brian O'Flaherty. Subs: JP Gill for Paul Fleming (35 minutes); Ben Kearney for James Kelly (51 minutes).

REFEREE: Niall Colgan.