Clane and Eadestown set up SFC 'A' final meeting with impressive wins

Eadestown 1-13 Sallins 1-12

Eadestown book their place in the inaugural Joe Mallon Motors Senior ‘A’ Football Championship final after Eoin Conneff struck a dramatic winning goal with the final kick of an exciting contest against Sallins.

Colm Dalton opened the scoring for Sallins but, after Eadestown responded with the next seven points, they never trailed again until Luke Killian and Stephen Kelly edged Sallins in front during injury time.

There was an element of fortune about the decisive score. Cian Bolton was attempting an equalising two-point effort when his shot dropped short. Sallins goalkeeper Matthew Farrelly could only punch the ball as far as Darragh Jameson, who reacted quickest to slip a pass to Conneff and the Eadestown corner-forward arrowed a low finish into the bottom-right corner of the net.

It was an engrossing encounter throughout, packed with turnovers and rapid counter-attacks, and thanks largely to that seven-point burst during the opening quarter, Emmet Bolton’s side carried a 0-10 to 0-5 advantage into the interval.

That lead was gradually reduced during the opening 15 minutes of the second half before Sallins drew level in the 46th minute with a clinically worked goal.

Although Charlie Carroll’s short kick-out reached an Eadestown player, Sallins immediately pressed aggressively and, once they won possession back just outside the 45, the danger signs were clear.

James Dalton surged forward at pace and picked out Luke Killian, whose ball across goal was deftly turned to the net by Kevin Foley.

Eadestown almost produced an instant response but from close range, Rian Boran palmed Tom Boran’s delivery against the crossbar and, when the rebound fell kindly, Jameson’s follow-up effort was blocked by the massed ranks of Sallins defenders who had retreated to the goal line.

Cian Bolton and Ben Fitzsimons, both outstanding throughout, nudged Eadestown two points clear with seven minutes remaining, but Sallins appeared the more likely winners as the closing stages unfolded.

They reeled off four unanswered points, including two Kelly frees that were advanced to directly in front of the posts, leaving them in a strong position as time ebbed away.

However, the old adage that a two-point lead can be the most dangerous margin in football rang true once more. Conneff’s late intervention sealed victory and ensured

Eadestown’s exciting weekend got off to the perfect start.

EADESTOWN: Charlie Carroll; Cian Cahill, John Lawlor 0-1, Paul O’Dwyer, Darragh Jameson, Jack Sargent, Harry Carroll; Rian Boran, Niall Cummins; Ben Fitzsimons 0-4fs, Padraic Tuohy, Sean Hynes, Eoin Conneff 1-3, Cian Bolton 0-4 (1tp), Max Sargent 0-1. Subs: Tom Boran for M Sargent, 42; Conor McCarthy for Hynes, 47.

SALLINS: Matthew Farrelly; Darren Keane, Aaron Carney, Sean Egan, Sean O’Domhnaill, Paul Farrelly 0-1, Glen McEvoy; Daragh Mangan, Sean Conway; Lorcan McKenna, Colm Dalton 0-2, Luke Killian 0-1, Stephen Kelly 0-5 (4fs), Alan Marshall, James Dalton 0-1. Subs: Rory Gavin 0-1 for Conway, 36; Ruaii O’Domhnaill for Egan, 36; Kevin Foley 1-1 for Marshall, 36; Emmet Ralph for McKenna, 55; Ferdia O’Domhnaill for Carney, 55.

REFEREE: Owen Murphy.

Clane 3-21 Clogherinkoe 1-18

Clane will play Eadestown in this year’s SFC ‘A’ decider, after they beat Clogherinkoe on a sunny late Saturday afternoon in Hawkfield.

After an entertaining first-half, Clane were four clear at the break, helped by Shane O’Sullivan’s goal a minute into added-time. Adam Fitzpatrick’s goal in the 39th minute, and Shane O’Sullivan’s in the 54th minute, not only sealed the later’s brace of goals, but the game as a contest.

Clogherinkoe grabbed a late goal thanks to Jack Robinson, but despite a good performance from them, the defence proved to be their kryptonite.

Clogherinkoe’s opening point came from Jimmy Lynch in the second minute, while Brian McLoughin, moments after smashing the crossbar, converted a free for Clane three minutes later. Jack Robinson scored a superb tight-angled two-pointed free in response for Clogherinkoe, and after further scores from Andrew Hill and Mark Nolan, Jarlath Gilroy’s charges were three in-front after eight minutes after Adam Fitzpatrick’s point for Clane.

In the 13th minute, Clogherinkoe were awarded a penalty for a foot-block, and Cein McMonagle bravely came up to take it. The wing-forward’s went straight down the middle, but the diving legs of Cian Burke in the Clane goal got to the ball to keep it out.

Clane were carving Clogherinkoe open several times through the centre of the defence, which the lilywhites were happy to capitalise on.

Brian McLoughlin landed a superb two-pointer for Clane in the 22nd minute, moments after Caelum Flanagan’s inspirational orange-flag raiser of his own for Clogherinkoe from a difficult angle.

McLoughlin was causing havoc in the defence for Clane, and a minute into added-time, his long ball in was caught by Shane O’Sullivan, who turned and fired in his goal, and Clane were 1-10 to 0-9 ahead at the interval.

Clane’s second goal was a killer-blow for The Cloghs, when after whittling the gap down to the minimum, and after Brian McLoughlin’s great catch, Adam Fitzpatrick expertly fired the ball into the bottom corner of Keith Wilkinson’s net in the 39th minute, which restarted the revival mission for Clogherinkoe.

The gap was out to eight by the 54th minute, before Clane struck for goal number three. Shane O’Sullivan was given the ball and was all on his own to round Keith Wilkinson to slot the ball into an empty net. Clogherinkoe were rewarded for their efforts 59 minutes in, when Jimmy Lynch squared the ball across to an onrushing Jack Robinson, who palmed in his teams consolation goal.

It was too little too late.

CLANE: Cian Burke; Harry O’Neill, Shane McCormack 0-2, Hugh Prendergast 0-1; Calum Doran, Eoghan Maguire 0-1, Cian Shanahan; Daragh Mullahy 0-1, Conor Walsh 0-1; Rhys Vaughan, Adam Fitzpatrick 1-3, Eoin Twohig; Sam McCormack 0-1, Brian McLoughlin 0-6 (0-2frees, 1two-pointer), Shane O’Sullivan 2-3 (0-1free, 0-1’45). Subs: Killian O’Sullivan 0-1 for Harry O’Neill (23), Sam Reilly for Shane O’Sullivan (temporary27-29), Daniel Colbert for Eoin Twohig (40), Cathal O’Brien 0-1 for Eoghan Maguire (49), Cian O’Donoghue for Calum Doran (54), Brian Corbett for Cian Shanahan (57).

CLOGHERINKOE: Keith Wilkinson; Jamie Boyle, David Hill, Daire Travers; Aedan Boyle, Killian Galligan, Andrew Hill 0-1; Caelum Flanagan 0-3 (1two-pointer), Daniel Grehan; Joe McIlduff, Mark Nolan 0-2, Cein McMonagle 0-1; Jimmy Lynch 0-3, Rian Cully, Jack Robinson 1-8 (0- 3frees, 1two-pointed free). Sub: Rory Phelan for Jamie Boyle (11), Shayne Boyle for Aedan Boyle (33), Sean Dennihan for Rian Cully (52), Ben Kenny for Joe McIlduff (55).

REFEREE: Frank Delaney.