Connolly inspires Drumlane to dramatic win over Knockbride

Junior Football Championship Round 4

Drumlane 0-15

Knockbride 1-11

Paul Fitzpatrick at the Athletic Grounds

Drumlane led once in this match but it was the right time as they came up with a gutsy late rally to come from four points down and snatch their third win of the competition.

The Milltown men trailed by four points with 50 minutes played but came up with five points unanswered, with Ryan Connolly playing a captain’s part with a difficult free from the ground along the left sideline which dramatically sealed the win.

Knockbride led by 1-6 to 0-8 at the end of a very entertaining first half. The talent of Aidan McCabe’s charges has never been in doubt but they have struggled for consistency, sometimes within games, and that was the case again here.

They were brilliant for first six or seven minutes, racking up 1-3 with fast, smart attacking play but, as if a switch was flicked, they began to play nervously and make careless mistakes.

Of course, much of that was down to Drumlane, too; they upped the ante and Ryan Connolly and Darragh Dolan in particular were causing Knockbride no end of trouble.

A minute in, Niall McCabe fed the ball out to Philip Rogers who found the onrushing Liam Fay and the young midfielder planted it in the roof of the net with a composed finish. Knockbride employed a strong press on the Drumlane kick-out and were getting joy from it as they fired over three quick points to lead 1-3 to 0-0 after six minutes, Ben Mulvey, Philip Rogers and Ciaran Smith (mark) the scorers.

Drumlane belatedly got off the mark with two quality left-footed points from Connolly and then a free off the right.

Knockbride suddenly began to struggle on their own kick-out and after a lovely dummy and finish by Daryl Dolan and a well-taken Daryl McGurren effort, it was a one-point game.

Knockbride replied with a spectacular point from the right wing by Ciaran Smith and an excellent Rogers score from the opposite flank, either side of a Connolly free.

Dolan and Roy Donohoe (free, after a foul on Rogers) rounded off the first half scoring but Drumlane were dealt a major blow just before the break when they lost full-back Donal Monahan to a hamstring injury.

The standard dropped in the second half, with both sides guilty of missing a lot of chances. Drumlane introduced Dane O’Dowd at half-time and the former county player’s presence around the middle third helped them claw back what was a four-point deficit with 10 minutes remaining.

Scores were at a premium in the third quarter. Rogers, who was outstanding, scored a fine individual point which was cancelled out by sub Liam Belton after a high ball to Michael Owens wasn’t cleared.

Ciaran Smith used his pace to create space and finish on 39 minutes and Niall McCabe soon fisted one over as Knockbride looked to be pulling away.

Connolly, who vied with Rogers for the Man of the Match award, knocked over a free in reply but it was cancelled by Rogers, from play, and when Sean Burns landed a 47-metre free off the ground, Knockbride were four ahead and looking good.

But Martin Dunne’s men had other ideas. Owens was fouled and Connolly did the needful; sub Gary Tubman scored after Dolan pinched a kick-out and then James McCahill found Owens, who cut in for a stylish point off the left.

That left two in it entering the final two minutes of normal time. Ciaran Crowe won the next kick-put and the brilliant Connolly drove over a terrific point from play.

And then the former county panellist sealed it with a superb free off the ground from the left wing.

Both sides will now advance to the quarter-finals Drumlane will take on Mountnugent while Knockbride face Munterconnaught.

Drumlane: Harry Clarke, Shane Dolan, Donal Monahan, Josh Marsden, Mark Maguire, James McCahill, Ciaran O’Brien, Ciaran Crowe, Ben Monahan, Darragh Dolan (0-3), Daryl McGurren (0-1), Ryan Connolly (0-8, 5f), Cormac Flynn, Michael Owens (0-1), John O’Dowd

Subs: Francis Lunney, Liam Belton (0-1), Dane O’Dowd, Gary Tubman (0-1)

Knockbride: James Lynch, Shane Carolan, Philip Nulty, Daniel McGuinness, Philip Rogers (0-4), Micheál Clarke, Roy Donohoe (0-1f), Liam Fay (1-0), Ben Mulvey (0-1), Matthew Traynor, Larry Maguire, Ciaran Smith (0-3, 1m), Sean Burns (0-1f), Fergal Smith, Niall McCabe (0-1)

Subs: Stephen Maguire, Conor Smith

Ref: Conor Dourneen

Photo: Drumlane manager Martin Dunne.