Loughcrew 1-02-15 (22) Ardbraccan 2-03-09 (21)

Loughcrew and Ardbraccan met in a cool but thankfully dry Dunganny for Round 2 of the Regional Football Championship, and with a number of players unavailable for Loughcrew this weekend, it was a chance for Manager Davy Nelson to shuffle the deck and get some game time into some players who might have only seen limited action last weekend.

The Loughcrew men opened proceedings with an excellent two point score from Ballinloughs Daire Shine who used the wind to full advantage in the first minute, but Ardbraccan responded brilliantly when they hit the net a moment later, with no team sheet provided, my knowledge of the opposition team was limited but I know it was the wing back wearing No.5 with the all important score.

Speaking of goals, Loughcrew will have to wonder how they didn’t manage to rattle the net in the first half as no less than three clear goal chances went abegging, the first coming from CJ Healy in the third minute after great pressure forced a turnover ball, but Matthew Brennan in the Ardbraccan net did well to deny him.

CJ made up for that miss with a tidy point from play in the eighth minute before Daire Shine put Loughcrew back in front with a free a moment later.

The North Meath men were playing good football in this opening period and added further points from wing back Luke Blake, Daire Shine, and Moylaghs Seanie Reilly on the double as he fired over twice by the 13th minute to give Loughcrew a five point lead.

Another goal chance came for Loughcrew when Oran Mulvaney was superb in midfield and powered forward but his goal bound effort rattled off the crossbar in the 14th minute, thankfully Loughcrew got possession of the rebound and CJ Healy fired over from close range.

A super point for Daire Shine a minute later extended Loughcrews lead to seven points before Ardbraccan finally hit back with a point from play for St.Ultans Ruairi Buchanan.

Ardbraccan were getting on the ball abit more now and came looking to attack but resolute defending from Loughcrew and in particular Dylan Garrigan ensured no chances were coughed up, and when the ball was turned over it was worked swiftly forward where CJ Healy fired over once more for his side.

Another Daire Shine free in the 19th minute left eight points between the teams but Ardbraccan were by no means out of this game as they added two points to their tally by the 21st minute, before a point effort came back off the post and with the attackers quickest to react the ball was soon in the Loughcrew net again, and the deficit reduced back to three points.

Loughcrew were guilty of kicking some terrible efforts towards the posts towards the end of the first half, as despite a strong wind behind them a number of shots were dropped well short and landed safely into the hands of the waiting Ardbraccan keeper. From one of those efforts, the ball was worked well down the field where Ardbraccans Conor Brady fired over in the 28th minute.

Loughcrew hit back before the end of the half when Oisin McDermott played a short 45’ before receiving the ball back and firing over an excellent two point score to give his team a four point lead back, and while there was another goal chance for Loughcrew before the whistle, Ardbraccan just about got numbers back and twarthed the threat.

So when Referee Paul Mooney blew the half time whistle Loughcrew led on a scoreline of 0-14 to Ardbraccan’s 2-04.

Ardbraccan took the first score of the half when William Tracey came forward again and pointed in the 35th minute. Loughcrew hit back with a free for CJ Healy and then took the next massive score when an excellent ball in from Oran Mulvaney found Daire Shine, and where a couple of Oldcastle men had failed before him, the Ballinlough man made no mistake with his goal chance, sending the ball to the back of the net in the 39th minute!

Dunderry’s Adam Kelly sent over a two point free in the 40th minute to leave five between the sides.

Another score for Kelly a moment later reduced the gap some more and Loughcrew were reliant on some excellent defending from St.Brigids Bobby Masterson, as he got stuck in and denied the threat of the high ball time and time again.

Daire Shine left six between the sides with a free in the 47th minute, before Cian Blake fisted over from a tight angle seconds later, and the lead was back to seven again.

Bobby Masterson was again at the heart of the next Loughcrew score, as his fantastic defending stopped a goal chance at one end, before Shane Gibney carried the ball some distance up the field and laid off to Daire Shine, who in turn found his club mate Harry Ryan, and the Loughcrew substitute fired over in the 49th minute for what was probably the move of the match.

Cian Blake got his second point of the game in the 52nd minute when Oisin McDermott found him with a great pass, McDermott having a very sound game at centre back for Loughcrew in the absence of Oldcastles Jason Scully.

With an eight point lead that should have being that for Loughcrew but they invited pressure onto themselves and Ardbraccan, aided by the breeze set to work in the last ten minutes of the game, albeit most of their scores coming from placed balls and the boot of Adam Kelly.

A pointed free in the 53rd minute was followed up by a two point free two minutes later to leave five between the sides with five minutes left.

With Loughcrew conceding a foul around the middle of the park, referee Paul Mooney brought the ball forward for Adam Kelly, and he made no mistake sending over his third two point free of the afternoon in the 58th minute.

A point from play for Ardbraccan left two points between the sides as the clock hit 60 minutes..

A 61st minute free for Ardbraccan left the bare minimum between the sides and the Loughcrew Faithful could be forgiven for beginning to feel abit nervous. But great credit must be given to Davy Nelson’s charges as they won possession from the next kick-out and carried out an exhibition of keep-ball for almost three minutes until referee Paul Mooney blew the full time whistle, Loughcrew holding on for a one point victory on a scoreline of 1-19 to Ardbraccans 2-15.

That win makes it two from two for Davy Nelson and Loughcrew and they will meet fellow unbeaten side An Tuaisceart next weekend in a top of the table clash!

Loughcrew: Dylan Scully, Bobby Masterson, Dylan Garrigan, Shane Gibney, Luke Blake, Oisin McDermott(0-02(one 2pt)), Lee Healy, Sean Reilly(0-02), Oran Mulvaney, Eoin Briody, Daire Shine(1-07(one 2pt, 3f)), Keith Connell, Cian Blake(0-02), CJ Healy(0-04(1f)), Cormac Browne

Subs: Harry Ryan(0-01) for Sean Reilly 34’, Daire Tuite for Keith Connell 35’, Ryan Kevin for Cormac Browne 55’

Unused Subs: Rian Mulvaney, Seanie Geraghty

Tweet

Most Read Stories