Late goals secure Suncroft win over Nurney and prelim quarter-final game in Kildare IFC

The Auld Shebeen Bar Intermediate Football Championship Group D, Round 3

Suncroft 2-5

Nurney 0-6

This Group D, Round 3 game at St. Conleth's Park on Saturday was certainly not one that will live long in the memory, in fact it was extremely poor, albeit with a swirling wind that made scoring that bit more challenging and while Nurney led for long periods, it was Suncroft who came through in the end, with two late goals, the first from the penalty spot and with Monasterevin defeating Milltown in the other game in this group, it means Suncroft go through to the pre-quarter final; Monasterevin to the quarter; Nurney season is over while Milltown are into a relegation final.

The Croft were hit with a big blow soon after the throw-in when former county star, Fionn Dowling, was forced off with what looked like an ankle injury and it took Suncroft a long time to get into the game.

It was Nurney who opened after some four minutes, Eoghan Fitzpatrick firing over and incredibly we had to wait until the 18 minute before point no. 2 came along, again it came from Nurney and this time from the boot of Andrew Behan, a free.
Suncroft finally raised a white flag when Eoghan Lawless, their side's top scorer, with a point on 21 minutes to make it 0-2 to 0-1.

Mikey Conway hit a free from the 45m line to leave two between but Tom Martin hit back for Suncroft to leave the half-time score reading: Nurney 0-3 Suncroft 0-2.

Andrew Behan, a free, stretched the lead on 35 minutes. Slowly but surely Suncroft gained control with two Eoghan Lawless points to level it at 0-4 apiece on 39 minutes.

Nurney should have found the Suncroft net after a sweeping move ended with Andrew Behan firing high and over with the goal at his mercy.

Suncroft leveled a few minutes later when Tom Martin got his second.
Eoghan Lawless combined with Ciaran Tory with the latter being fouled in the square — John Merrins picking up a second yellow and a red — before Eoghan Lawless, hit the spot kick low and right to the net to give his side the lead for first time – 1-5 to 0-5.

Mikey Conway hit an absolute beauty with the outside of his boot to reduce the lead but in a breakaway move Mark Browne Jnr found the Suncroft net, albeit at the second attempt, to make it 2-5 to 0-6 and that was the way it stayed as final whistle arrived.

Joy for Suncroft but for Nurney the season is over.

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Scorers: Suncroft, Eoghan Lawless 1-3 (penalty), Tom Martin 0-2, Mark Browne Jnr 1-0,
Nurney, Andrew Behan 0-3 (2 frees), Mikey Conway 0-2 (2 frees), Eoghan Fitzpatrick 0-1.

SUNCROFT: Dave Sutton; Conor Martin, Mikey Troy, Sean Browne; Thomas Robottom, Tom Martin, Sam Murphy; Fionn Dowling, Conn Kehoe; Chris Philips, Senan Brannock, Jack Doyle; Ciaran Troy, Eoghan Lawless, Mark Browne Jnr. Subs: Thomas Cleary for Fionn Dowling (3 minutes); Kaylem Ennis for Thomas Cleary (43 minutes); Corey O'Sullivan for Ciaran Troy (55 minutes).

NURNEY: Niall Donnelly; Darragh Conway, John Kee, Eoghan Fitzpatrick; Brian Reilly, Owen Kealey, Tadhg Hagney; Willie Heffernan, Kevin Conway; Steven Conway, Andrew Behan, Thomas Burke; John Merrins, Brian Conway, Michael Conway. Subs: Eoin Kelly for Brian Conway (43 minutes).

REFEREE: Matthew Redmond.