Late flourish enough for St Colmcille's

Seasiders advance to last eight

St Colmcille’s 1-3-9 (18)

Ballinabrackey 1-1-7 (12)

A game that threatened to die a death in the opening half developed into a rip-roaring contest as last year’s relegation finalists St Colmcille’s advanced to the SFC quarter finals at Dunsany last Saturday, writes Sean Wall.

Ballinabrackey were on course to reach the knock-out stages when Danny Quinn’s point left them leading 1-9 to 0-10 on 54 minutes. It was a deserved lead at that stage but they failed to add to their tally after that as Cille’s finally hit their straps for a dramatic win in a drama-filled finale.

Substitute Godfrey Ehichoya started the revival with a neat point before veteran Ben Brennan edged his side ahead from a two-point free on 58 minutes.

Oisin Brennan sealed the win for Mickey Conlon’s side a minute later when he ran on to a through ball from Eoghan McCloughan and, spotting 'keeper Dean Pluck racing off his line, he lofted the ball over his head into an empty net.

Cille’s were rampant at that stage and David Bell and Ben Brennan from a ’45 added to their tally before the end after Ehichoya was denied a goal by 'keeper Pluck.

And if all that wasn’t enough to whet the appetite there was also a dust up involving several players from both sides. When order was restored referee David Gough red-carded Ballinabrackey’s Niall Smullen while Cille’s 'keeper Andrew Beakey and Liam Stafford were both black-carded.

There was also drama before the start with Cille’s full back Hugo Collins injured in the warm up and having to be replaced by Evan Breen.

Cille’s were ahead within 90 seconds when a long range effort was missed by the advancing Pluck and the ball hopped over the crossbar for an early two-pointer. Cille’s bossed the early exchanges and won most of the individual battles as Bell landed a brace of points to give them a 0-4 to 0-0 lead by the end of the opening quarter.

Ballinabrackey lost Richie Coffey to a shoulder injury and were eventually off the mark from a Danny Quinn free on 18 minutes.

The exchanges were dour enough for the remainder of the half with 'keeper Pluck coming to his side’s rescue on two different occasions as Cille’s threatened goals. When a goal eventually came it was to the Offaly-border side with Simon Finn and Adam O’Brien involved before Gavin Quinn finished to the net on the half hour mark.

That left it 1-2 to 0-4 and Liam Stafford levelled matters before a two-pointer free from Pluck gave Ballinabrackey the advantage at the break.

Danny Quinn from play and a free added to the Ballinabrackey lead within three minutes of the restart. However a fine Kyle O’Brien two-pointer kept Cille’s firmly in touch and they were back level before the end of the third quarter following further scores from Stafford and substitute Shaun Leonard (free).

A David Bell free edged Cille’s in front before David Carroll kicked two great scores in the space of a minute as the tempo increased significantly.

Quinn doubled the ‘Bracks advantage but the game turned back in favour of the east Meath side after Seán Kavanagh was denied a goal by a brilliant block from 'keeper Beakey on 56 minutes and Cille’s finished the game with a flourish.

St Colmcille’s: Andrew Beakey; Adam Lynch, Evan Breen, Cathal Monaghan; Liam Stafford (0-2), Carl Mullen, Stephen Breen; Kyle O’Brien (0-2 one two-pointer), Ruairí O’Grady; Cormac O’Donoghue, Luke Conlon, Oisín Brennan (1-0); Liam Leahy, David Bell (0-6 one two-pointer, two frees), Ben Brennan (0-3 one two-point free, one ’45). Subs: Shaun Leonard (0-1 free) for Leahy half-time, Jeff Kavanagh for E Breen 38m, Eoghan McBrearty for Conlon 43m, Godfrey Ehichoya (0-1) for Mullen 47m, Eoghan McCloughan for O’Grady 52m.

Ballinabrackey: Dean Pluck (0-3 one two-point free, one free); Jason Lynch, Nicky Judge, Conor Ennis; Richie Coffey, Adam O’Brien, Mark Coffey; Simon Finn, Erick Clancy; Danny Quinn (0-4 two frees), Niall Smullen, David Carroll (0-2); Gavin Quinn (1-0), Damien Carroll, Seán Kavanagh. Subs: Chris O’Connor for R Coffey 10m.

Referee: David Gough (Slane).