'Bridge make it five wins from five

IFC quarter-final

Butlersbridge 2-10

Cornafean 1-10

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

A goal in each half made the difference as Butlersbridge made it five wins on the bounce and booked their place in the Intermediate Championship semi-final.

When Butlersbridge hit the net in the 18th minute of the first half and then followed up with a quickfire point, they were four ahead, 1-5 to 0-4, and looked to be on control but they wasted a few chances and the Reds dug in, landing the last two points of the half to go in trailing by two.

There was a similar situation in the second half as the ‘Bridge didn’t kick on after their second goal but they were never really in danger of being caught, with Cornafean’s major arriving deep in second-half injury time.

There was little between the teams in the opening stages; after 11 minutes, they were tied at 0-3 apiece and no real pattern had stitched itself to proceedings as the sides felt each other out.

The ‘Bridge opened the scoring with a free from Caoimhin O’Reilly, which was cancelled out by a fine strike from Jack Wharton. Killian Leddy was next to register after the Reds were turned over coming out of defence and the impressive Dean Kilkenny levelled the game with a free on eight minutes.

Cornafean full-forward Peter Doyle was winning a lot of primary possession and he sent over a good free to send his side in front but 17-year-old Joe Dugdale, who turned in a great shift, landed a quality point to level matters again.

Cornafean hit the front when Mark Johnston won the next kick-out and Kilkenny curled over from long range but then came to goal. Fionntán O’Reilly and Ciaran O’Reilly did well to find Caoimhín O’Reilly, who showed good composure and to squeeze the ball home in a crowded area.

Fionntán O’Reilly added a free after a foul on Ciaran O’Reilly and Dugdale looped over a point as the ‘Bridge put the squeeze on the Cornafean kick-out and pressurised the Reds’ forwards when they got into shooting positions, resulting in a number of missed chances.

Aodhgán Smith knocked over an important point to make it 1-5 to 0-5 as Keelan Melaniff’s men began to become sloppy in possession and a nice point from Shane Doyle, after good work from Cormac Cullen, cut the gap to two at half-time.

On the restart, Butlersbridge recorded three wides in succession before Paddy McPhilips pointed a free off the ground from 50 metres and Caoimhín O’Reilly won the ball out in front and pointed on the turn with the left, a trademark score.

And the second goal then followed, a clever ball inside from Fionntán O’Reilly finding Leddy, who slipped it to Dugdale for an excellent major.

The Reds put a good move together and Aodhgan Smith pointed but Cathal Leddy, who worked hard all evening, replied.

Peter Doyle and Joe Dugdale traded well-taken scores as the gap remained at six. A Kilkenny free gave Laurence Brady’s side some hope as the clock ticked down but another superb long-range free from McPhilips restored the six-point margin.

An uncharacteristic miss from Kilkenny let the ‘Bridge off the hook and although James McGahern blasted in a goal through a maze of bodies three minutes into injury time, the Reds had left themselves too much to do.

A high ball into the danger area was expertly fielded by Feargal Flanagan, Butlersbridge cleared their lines and that was it – not a vintage performance but job done for the ‘Bridge men, who march on to the semi-finals with plenty of wind in their sails.

Butlersbridge: Michael Sheridan, Kevin McPhilips, Colin Dugdale, Patrick McPhilips (0-2f), Andrew McConnell, Shane Leddy, Feargal Flanagan, Ciaran O’Reilly, Cathal Leddy (0-1), Davin Graham, Fionntán O’Reilly (0-1f), Killian Leddy (0-1), Joe Dugdale (1-3), Caoimhin O’Reilly (1-2, 1f), Luke Allison

Subs: Sean T Murphy for F O’Reilly (temp, 4, reversed 5), Philip Shannon for A McConnell (41), Sean T Murphy for K McPhilips (50), Jack Graham for K Leddy (54)

Cornafean: Andrew Smith, Pete Hogan, Dan Wharton, Mark Johnston, Eamonn Brady, Jason Miney, Shane Doyle (0-2), Cormac Cullen, Jack Wharton (0-1), Aodhgán Smith (0-2), Andrew Wharton, Barry Doyle, Gerard Sheridan, Peter Doyle (0-2, 1f), Dean Kilkenny (0-3, 2f)

Subs: Niall Corcoran for M Johnston (30, inj.), James McGahern (1-0) for B Doyle (ht), Culainn McSeain for G Sheridan (45), Wayne Johnston for E Brady (51), Cormac Doyle for D Kilkenny (60)

Ref: Padraig Sheridan