Knockbride edge out the Reds in exciting Reserve final

ACFL Division 2 final

Knockbride 2-9

Cornafean 0-12

Knockbride's reserves completed a memorable week for the club with a narrow victory over Cornafean on Friday night last.

Fresh from the first team sealing promotion to Division 1, the reserves brought home the silverware in a game where they built a lead, saw it reduced under sustained Cornafean pressure, particularly in the third quarter, to emerge victorious in dark and mostly wet conditions on a Redhills pitch that was in excellent condition.

That Knockbride lined out with 15 different starters to those who started for the first team six days earlier is testament to the work being done in the club in developing players - both quality and quantity. Cornafean had enough possession to win this match but their tally of 13 wides to Knockbride's two tells its own tale.

Within a minute of the start, Patrick Smith pointed from play for Knockbride, but soon Barry Doyle and Wayne Johnston had the men in red ahead with points apiece. Gerry Sheridan put them two up but parity was restored when Smith again pointed and Darren Clarke fisted over.

A crucial score came in the 17th minute when a Smith free hit the upright and David Clarke was first to react as the ball rebounded and he shot low to the net.

Larry Maguire's point for Knockbride and Sheridan's fisted effort kept the margin at three. The Canningstown men stretched their lead with two good scores. A surging run by Fergal Smith set up Patrick Smith for a point. Then a long pass by David Clarke found Ben Mulvey - by now operating at full-forward - and he blasted to the net.

This left Knockbride with the biggest lead they had in the game, seven points, but before the interval two points from Doyle, and one from play and one a mark, cut the deficit to leave the half time score Knockbride 2-5 Cornafean 0-6.

Doyle, who is still performing at a high level, fisted over on the resumption, in a spell dominated by the losers.

Mulvey got a Knockbride point but soon another of Cornafean's better performers, Jack Traynor, pointed. Goalie Stephen Tormey came to Knockbride's rescue with a great block from Traynor’s shot and then Doyle fisted over again.

Patrick Smith's pointed free added to knockbrides tally, while Doyle again, from a mark, kept Cornafean in touch. For the next 11 minutes the score remained 2-7 to 0-10, as Cornafean kept the pressure on but a combination of wides and shots dropping short meant that they failed to convert their dominance into scores.

David Clarke then raised a white flag for Knockbride and Oisin Browne replied similarly for Cornafean. Knockbride supporters could breathe a little more easily following two pointed frees by Patrick Smith.

Both sailed over the black spot from near the sideline, one from the left, the other from the right left. In the last move of the game, an Oisin Browne shot was deflected over the bar to complete Cornafean’s total.

This was a good quality match , especially considering the wet conditions, and it was Knockbride captain Larry Maguire who accepted the cup from County Board chairman Kieran Callaghan at the conclusion.

Knockbride: Stephen Tormey, Darren Clarke, Peter O’Reilly, Barry Cahill, Stephen Maguire, Fergal Smith, Mark Cassidy, Shane Carolan, Ben Mulvey, Matthew Flanagan, Patrick Smith, Adrian Carroll, Larry Maguire, David Clarke, Brian O’Reilly

Subs: Luke Carolan, Evan McKeon, Micheál Smith, Mark Magee, Jamie Shanley

Cornafean: Rory Geoghegan, Ciaran Brady, Ronan Traynor, Ciaran Duignan, Aoghan Smith, Eamonn Brady, Shane Doyle, Cullen McSeain, Cormac Doyle, Oisin Browne, Barry Doyle, Pierce Kilkenny, Wayne Johnston, Gerry Sheridan, Andrew Smith

Subs: Jack Traynor, Gerard Olwill, David Egan, James McGahern

Ref: Harry Conaty