Dramatic late free earns Raheens a quarter-final place

Raheens gained a dramatic draw with Athy after a late breach saw Paddy Woodgate convert the close-in free to earn a point that sees the Caragh men advance to the quarter-finals of the SFC, that after Sallins defeated Kilcock by three in the other game in the group.

It was Niall Kelly got the score board moving with an excellent two-pointer after three minutes within a minute Jack Taaffe did likewise to tie it up.

A lovely kick pass then from David Hyland put Cian Keaveney and he made no mistake rifling the ball to the back of David MacPartlin’s net and while Paddy Woodgate replied with an excellent two-pointer free from some distance to leave it 1-2 to 0-4 with ten on the board.

Cian Keaveney added a point before Luke Donovan found Conor Murphy who pointed.

Canon and Cian Keaveney added three between them and Paudi Behan another point as Raheens now led 1-7 to 0-5 on 23 minutes.

Daniel Hamill had a shot blocked, the ball broke lose and there to pull first time to the net was Conor Murphy .

Michael Spailland had Athy three clear, before Jack Taaffe and Paddy Woodgate (free) had it back to one.

However before the break Athy added two points from James McGrath and a Ronan Kelly punched point had Athy leading at the break Athy leading 1-10 to 1-7.

Raheens got the opening two points of the half before Cian Keaveney hit three points on the trot.

A point each followed before Liam Power got the vital goal having been put through Conor Donoavan left one in it.

Then deep into time added on Paddy Woodgate was the hero of the hour when Athy were caught on the wrong side of the 4x3 and he popped over for the vital score giving his side the draw a place into the quarter-finals.

Scorers, Athy: Cian Keaveney 1-5, Niall Kelly 0-2 (two-pointer), Calum Keaveney 0-2, Michael Spillane 0-1, Paudie Behan 0-1, Ronan Kelly 0-1, Brian Maher 0-1.

Raheens: Paddy Woodgate 0-5 (1 two-pointer free, 3 free), Conor Murphy 1-1, Liam Power 1-0, Jack Taaffe 0-3 (1 two-pointer free), Luke O’Donovan 0-1, Niall Dolan 0-1.

ATHY: James Roycroft; Darren Lawler, Mark Hyland, Michael Spillane; James McGrath, Killian Mulhall, Sean Moore; Kevin Feely, David Hyland; Calum Keaveney, Paudie Behan, Conor Doyle; Ronan Kelly, Barry Kelly, Niall Kelly. Subs: Brian Maher for Sean Moore (blood sub 32-00); Cathal McCarron for Barry Kelly (42 minutes); Conor Kelly for Paudie Behan (51 minutes); Ben Purcell for Ronan Kelly (51 minutes); Jack Dooley for Conor Doyle (56 minutes);

RAHEENS: David MacPartlin; Niall Cramer, Fionn Tully, Shane Crowley; Daniel Hamill, Conor Earley, Dara Crowley; Liam Power, Conor Kelly; Luke O'Donovan, Paddy Woodgate, David Malone; Conor Murphy, Jack Taaffe, Gavin Thompson. Subs: Niall Dolan for Conor Murphy (35 minutes); Graham Waters for Gavin Thompson (51 minutes); Daire Gilmartin for Conor Kelly (56 minutes)

REFEREE: Brendan Cawley.