Knockbride win thriller with late Carolan point

Epic JFC clash decided by late, late winner

Knockbride 3-13

Redhills 2-15

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

A late fisted point from Brendan Carolan saw Knockbride snatch both points here after a fantastic hour’s action.

Both teams served up a marvellous exhibition of open, attacking football from the first minute to the last. While Knockbride edged it, Redhills' performance surely deserved at least a draw and they were frustrated at the end when the final whistle sounded as they attacked, with men over.

However, Larry Reilly’s men deserve great credit for eking out the result at the death, with sub Philip Rogers instrumental.

Knockbride got off to a brilliant start when they won the throw-in and poured forward; within 20 seconds, the ball was in the net courtesy of a powerful finish from Rory Donohoe and when Brendan Carolan hooked over a point under pressure, it seemed as if they might run away with it.

Redhills, though, hung in there well for the first half, with Turloc Mooney almost single-handedly keeping them in touch by that juncture.

With the wind at his back, Mooney opened Redhills’ account with a great point from outside the 45 before Patrick Rogers sent over with the left at the other end.

Mooney converted a difficult free after a foul on Paul Martin and then landed an excellent point from play to cut the gap to two on 13 minutes, 1-2 to 0-3.

Redhills were trying to find full-forward Packie Leddy early and the ploy was working well, although it worked even better for them in the second half when Leddy and the outstanding Mooney swapped positions.

Another Mooney special and one from Cormac Brides, who also had a super game and finished with 0-5 from play, tied it up before Brides nudged the border side back in front.

Patrick Rogers, Seanie Burns and Mooney all knocked over frees to level matters again on 28 minutes before Mooney produced an exquisite piece of skill, pointing a free from the flag on the 45 on the right sideline a la Maurice Fitzgerald.

Another free from Burns, though, tied the game at half-time, 1-5 to 0-8. But the fun was only starting.

From the throw-in, Sean Martin pointed and then Leddy, winning everything that came his way, found Brides for another.

Half-time sub Philip Rogers was making a major impact already and he pointed, after Burns had registered from a free, to make it 1-7 to 0-10 on 36 minutes.

Knockbride put some daylight between the sides when a quick-thinking Brendan Carolan knocked the ball out of Redhills goalkeeper Gary Kelly’s hands and into the net.

Redhills, though, came roaring back; Luke McEntee was wide with a goal chance and, on 39 minutes, corner-back Mark Sexton found the roof of the net for a well-taken goal to level the match for the fifth time.

Burns (free) and Brides traded points but Redhills then surged four ahead when Leddy found Mooney, who swivelled and stuck the ball in the bottom corner for a well-taken goal and then won a free which Conor McCaffrey converted.

The ebb and flow continued as both sides poured forward. Burns kicked a free to make it 2-12 to 2-9 and then, on 51 minutes, a great ball from Philip Rogers found DJ Cassidy, who sent a powerful finish to the net to tie the match once more.

There was still time for more drama. Mooney was fouled and converted the resulting free himself before, at the other end, Philip Rogers did likewise, with Burns slotting over the kick.

Redhills hit the front again on 57 minutes when Brides passed to Mooney, who sent over a super score but again, back came Knockbride, with Philip Rogers setting up Burns for a well-taken point from play.

Rogers, playing brilliantly, won an attacking mark and coverted from 40 metres to nudge the Canningstown men in front again at 3-12 to 2-14 right on the hour mark but Redhills weren’t done yet and Brides floated over a fabulous point from the right to level the game in injury time.

But Knockbride would have the final say when they pressed forward and Carolan, under pressure, dived towards goal and managed to get his fisted effort away and over the bar.

Redhills pushed forward again and looked set to create a chance but the referee signalled that time was up and with that, they exited the championship after a valiant effort. For Knockbride, bigger challenges await and this victory may, in time, be seen as the turning point of the campaign.

Redhills: Gary Kelly, Ciaran Smith, Alan Brady, Mark Sexton (1-0), Michael Smith, Shane Jenkins, Richard Murphy, Rory Dunne, Packie Leddy, Aaron Monaghan, Turloc Mooney (1-8, 4f), Cormac Brides (0-5), Conor McCaffrey (0-1f), Sean Martin (0-1), Paul Martin

Subs: Conor McMahon for C Smith, Luke McEntee for Murphy, Dessie Gumley for Monaghan, Derek Fay for P Martin

Knockbride: James Lynch, Daniel McGuinness, Philip Nulty, Conor Smith, Mark Magee, Shane Carolan, Michael Clarke, Patrick Rogers (0-2, 1f), Jordan McCabe, Roy Donohoe (1-0), Sean Burns (0-7, 6f), Matthew Traynor, David Rogers, Niall McCabe Jr, Brendan Carolan (1-2)

Subs: Philip Rogers (0-2, 1m) for J McCabe, Adam Traynor for McCabe, Declan Nulty for McGuinness, DJ Cassidy (1-0) for Patrick Rogers