Late late drama as Johnstownbridge steal a draw (and nearly a win) against Clane

It was late late drama that meant Clane and Johnstownbridge finished their Group A Round 1 clash level in the Joe Mallon Motors SFC.

A beautifully struck Shane O’Sullivan two-point free had Clane three clear with two of the three added minutes already on the board. O’Sullivan’s score felt potentially final given the flow of the game at that advanced stage.

It did not prove so as The Bridge burst forward and shifted the ball across to Connor Flynn who had been substituted on just a minute prior. Flynn was given far too much space by any defence’s standards but particularly by one protecting a late and precarious lead.

Flynn let fly near post and, after a not strong enough palm from Cian Burke, the ball hit the net. The Clane stopper seemingly did not cover himself in glory, but the scramble to keep out the last-ditch effort in front of him may have resulted in another defensive touch before Flynn’s shit reached Burke.

The late drama wasn’t done there with Johnstownbridge carving out a chance to win it and referee Fergus Devereux thought they had when Sam Doran took the game’s last shot. The JTB centre-forward had fired wide at the near post with the referee raising his arm with the umpires unmoved and seemingly uncertain.

Justice was eventually done after consultation between the various officials, although there was clear panic in Clane voices that they had well and truly thrown this one away, but it was a share of the points after those final heartstopping moments.

It was a much stiffer start to this group opener and, while the fans in Hawkfield had to wait five minutes for the game’s first score, both teams were playing direct football and with intent.

Johnstownbridge wing-back Shane Flynn opened the scoring with the first of his three first half points, cutting inside off the left and onto right as he did so on each of the three occasions.

Sam Reilly registered Clane’s first in the ninth minute with The Bridge answering instantly through Daniel Flynn after he was brilliantly found by Paul Cribbin before firing over off his left.

Shane Flynn’s second had The Bridge two clear but just before the midpoint of the first half Clane hit the net. It was an electric counter-attack with Harry O’Neill and Sam McCormack getting their hands on the ball before Adam Fitzpatrick lofted a handpass across to Shane O’Sullivan who slapped the ball into the net off of the inside of the post.

Luke O’Connor was quick to level the game again at 1-1 to 0-4 at the 15-minute mark.

Clane managed back-to-back points for the first time in the game (Sam Reilly and Daragh Mullahy) to push themselves ahead again.

The Bridge had a couple in succession of their own to restore parity with Luke Flynn curling over. Flynn’s shot was initially waved wide but changed by the referee after consultation with his linesman. Clane had taken the kick-out before the decision was made and the ball landed in the press box and was parried back into play by yours truly. Paul Cribbin got the latest leveller with the game’s first converted free.

It was Clane who finished the half strongest with three of the last four scores before the interval. Adam Fitzpatrick (twice) and Shane O’Sullivan picked up those scores with Shane Flynn’s third being Johnstownbridge’s reply as Clane took a 1-6 to 0-7 lead in at the break.

Adam Fitzpatrick put Clane three clear after the restart but the leading side all but disappeared for 10 minutes following that with the concession of five points amid kick-out struggles.

Joey Higgins hit for The Bridge before a Darragh Sloane two-pointer had them level. A Paul Cribbin free and a single from Sloane had them two clear with just over 15 minutes to go.

However, after their dip, Clane came roaring back into this fixture by finding the net for the second time. Two Bridge men collided in contest for the ball and Clane stole in with Sam McCormack slipping in Cian O’Donoghue who fired low past Eoin Sheehan and into the net.

Adam Fitzpatrick’s fourth point of the evening then had Clane two clear.

Shane Flynn’s fourth and Daniel Flynn’s third restored parity before Shane O’Sullivan’s single from play and aforementioned two-point free set up this game’s dramatic finish.

The spoils were shared in Manguard Park with Clane and Johnstownbridge finishing level at 2-12 to 1-15.

Clane: Shane O’Sullivan 1-4 (1 x 2ptf), Adam Fitzpatrick 0-4, Cian O’Donoghue 1-0, Sam Reilly 0-2, Daragh Mullahy 0-1, Brian McLoughlin 0-1 (0-1 frees).

Johnstownbridge: Shane Flynn 0-4, Daniel Flynn 0-3, Darragh Sloane 0-3 (1 x 2pt), Connor Flynn 1-0, Paul Cribbin 0-2 (0-2 frees), Luke O’Connor 0-1, Luke Flynn 0-1, Joey Higgins 0-1.

CLANE: Cian Burke; Harry O'Neill, Shane McCormack, Hugh Prendergast; Calum Doran, Cian O'Donoghue, Cian Shanahan; Daragh Mullahy, Sam McCormack; Dan Colbert, Adam Fitzpatrick, Sam Reilly; Eoin Twohig, Brian McLoughlin, Shane O'Sullivan. Subs: Sean Tighe for Dan Colbert (43 minutes), Cormac Vizzard for Sam Reilly (49 minutes), Shane O’Connor for Eoin Twohig (57 minutes).

JOHNSTOWNBRIDGE: Eoin Sheehan; Ian McKeon, Tomas Von Englebrechten, Sean McKeon; Luke O'Connor, Keith Cribbin, Shane Flynn; Joey Higgins, Luke Flynn; Darragh Sloane, Sam Doran, Cathal McNally; Dean Kelly, Daniel Flynn, Paul Cribbin. Subs: Aaron McNally for Ian McKeon (46 minutes), Kelvin McNally for Joey Higgins (52 minutes), Ronan Scanlon for Darragh Sloane (53 minutes), Connor Flynn for Cathal McNally (61 minutes).

Referee: Fergus Devereux