All County Football League
Division One
Mayobridge 2-15
Clonduff 1-16
By Peter McGrath Jnr
Mayobridge and Clonduff served up a brilliant spectacle last week, with the home side eventually edging it by two points, but had they lost it, the Bridge would have been casting rueful glances towards the figure of “11” in the wides column.
At many stages the game was in the balance and could have tipped either way. Chances came and went, scores flew in. There was some great tackling and splendid passes. It was an hour of continuous entertainment.
The home side took the lead early. Corey Quinn, on his first start for a few seasons, showed obvious rustiness and though he hit two early wides he also shot the Bridge into the lead.
It was quickly wiped out by Senan Carr who burst in along the end line and pointed in unorthodox fashion.
That score got Carr motoring and he added a two-pointer a minute later. Receiving the ball on the right wing he dug out a fabulous left-footed shot to raise a cheer from the travelling fans and they got louder soon after.
Dan Rafferty has tremendous energy and pace and he demonstrated that with a brilliant burst down the left wing.
His fist pass was perfect for Jayme Gribben who ran onto it, sidestepped the goalkeeper and popped it to the net.
Mayobridge replied in kind as Conaill Gallagher punted through a crowded penalty area to the Clonduff net to really spark the game into life.
It also sparked a run of four Mayobridge points which followed, with Gallagher involved in a couple of them, including the best score of the burst.
The full forward angled a brilliant high, raking ball diagonally into the arms of Patrick Woods who turned and fired over.
The final ten minutes of the half were dominated by two-pointers.
Barry O’Hagan kicked a pair of them from free kicks before a sliced effort from play from Caolan Gallagher eased Mayobridge’s concern.
Gallagher and Daniel Carr added one-point scores but just before half-time, Barry O’Hagan delivered again, this time from play as he swung over a majestic point from the right wing to ensure parity at the break.
The sides went in deadlocked at 1-9 apiece.
Mayobridge began the second half in style.
Caolan Gallagher punished Clonduff backchat as he pointed a free kick from beyond the arc which had been moved forward.
Patrick Woods could have added a goal but punted wide although the goal wasn’t long coming.
CJ Barr came out of goals to break a Clonduff kickout forward. The move flowed seamlessly through Liam McManus, Gavin Barry and Corey Quinn, with Quinn laying the ball on for Danny Cunningham who made no mistake as he fired past Mark Devlin.
Daniel Carr added a point with a move from the training ground as Patrick Woods timed his run to the corner superbly. He held the ball first time and gave it to Carr off the shoulder for the young wing back to add to his tally.
Clonduff were in danger of being overrun but a Patrick O’Hagan point re-established a foothold for the Yellas.
They then felt they should have had a penalty when Liam McGreevy was fouled on the edge of the box in what Clonduff deemed to be a goal-scoring position, but a 15m free was instead awarded which Barry O’Hagan tapped over.
They could have had a second goal of their own through Jayme Gribben who had scored the first, but CJ Barr stayed big and made a vital save.
Barry O’Hagan cut the deficit to a goal when he showed a lightning burst of speed to ride a couple of challenges and fire over.
Liam McManus made an important interception to deny Patrick O’Hagan a goal chance as Clonduff came at their hosts strongly, but there was no way of stopping Senan Carr’s second two-pointer of the evening which left a single point between the teams.
Danny Cunningham and Dan Rafferty traded points, but two Patrick Woods points, one fisted and one kicked over off the inside of the post, gave the Sky Blues some daylight.
A Barry O’Hagan free as the game went into added time left Clonduff needing a two-pointer to earn a draw, but Mayobridge defended resolutely and held on for a great victory at the end of a belter at the Bridge.
