Big draw for Bracknagh leaves below par Edenderry searching for answers

BRACKNAGH took a giant step towards the quarter-finals of the Senior Football Championship when they fired over four points in the last few minutes to get a very deserved draw with Edenderry in Clonbullogue on Saturday evening.

Tullamore Court Hotel Senior Football Championship Group 2 Round 2

Bracknagh 0-9

Edenderry 0-9

While the draw was a very fair result over the course of the hour plus, Bracknagh were the only side smiling at the end of it. It was a very good draw for Bracknagh, a very bad one for Edenderry and it gives the underdogs a great chance of making the knockout stages. While they could have won it and were set up to achieve that at half time, it was still very much a bonus result for them.

With Rhode sauntering to an expected run away win against Shamrocks, it means that Bracknagh are likely to claim a quarter-final place with the winners of Edenderry and Shamrocks also going through: a draw between Edenderry and Shamrocks would change things, leaving three teams tied on two points if Bracknagh also lose to Rhode and scoring difference dictating which two go on.

Bracknagh played very well on the day, getting their game plan spot on when playing against a very strong wind in the first half. They were too cagey in the second half, maintaining their defensive posture but when they finally threw caution to the win late on, just when it looked like the result had slipped beyond their grasp, they were able to salvage it.

While Bracknagh will enjoy Saturday evening after this, Edenderry will be engaging in a real post mortem. Well beaten by Rhode in the first round, this result leaves them on slippery ground, even if they will be favourites to beat a very understrength Shamrocks side. However, they are definitely not going well at the moment. They changed managers in the lead up to the championship and their performances to date have given substance to reports that things have not gone smoothly there to date.

They still have the backbone of a very decent side and can't be ruled out of the equation but as things stand, their Dowling Cup odds have slipped into the outside category and they are now behind Tullamore, Edenderry and Ferbane in the pantheon of contenders.

It was an engrossing, closely fought game with scores at a premium. Edenderry had first use of that very significant wind but took a while to settle and struggled to break down Bracknagh. Bracknagh's tactic of bringing Peter Cunningham back as an extra defender worked a dream in the first half. Cunningham cut out several attacks, broke the line at pace and was the most influential figure on the field in the opening 30 minutes.

Cian Farrell did look very hungry for Edenderry, showing well and moving at pace but he couldn't score from play. As a unit, Edenderry's energy levels were way off where they needed to be in the first half. They were in third gear almost the whole way and they were in serious trouble when they held a slender 0-5 to 0-3 half time lead.

Mikey Cunningham gave Bracknagh the lead with a sixth minute free and they didn't score again until the 27th minute when he got another free, followed by their first score from play, a Eoghan Geoghegan point.

Edenderry, however, had not cut loose, registering just five points for a 0-5 to 0-1 lead. Three of these came from Cian Farrell frees, one from a very well won mark and Edenderry's only point from play in the first half was a Mark Abbott one that could have been a goal as he had clear sight of the net. In fact, Edenderry were fortunate not to be behind as Mikey Cunningham had two good goal chances but didn't get the power to test Loughlin Walsh.

If Bracknagh got their tactics spot on in the first half, the same could not be said in the second half. could It was understandable that Bracknagh would be nervous as the stakes were so huge for them but they certainly should have pushed Peter Cunningham forward more.

Cunningham did stride forward to fire over a wonderful 31st minute point and Bracknagh were 0-6 to 0-5 behind after 40 minutes. Edenderry got a poweful looking grip on the game in the next fifteen minutes. Bracknagh invited them onto them but Edenderry also played with much more urgency. Cian Farrell continued to show well but a number of players who were off form in the first half noticeably picked up their pace and intensity. Lee Pearson and Jordan Hayes were the most notable in this regard as they drove at Bracknagh while a very hard working Mark Abbott channeled a lot of balls through his hands.

A black card for Bracknagh's Sean Dempsey after 42 minutes also enabled Edenderry to take over. Dempsey's black card was a foolish one as Bracknagh had possession and were breaking forward when he blocked the run of Adam Mahon, and the referee was right.

Jordan Hayes and Mark Abbott tapped over easy points and Cian Farrell converted a free as Edenderry went 0-9 to 0-5 ahead with seven minutes left. Edenderry had a great opportunity to kill it off in the 55th minute but Keith Keogh saved very well from Cian Farrell, who will be very disappointed at not hitting the net from a handful of metres.

Despite that miss, Bracknagh still looked a beaten docket and it was impossible to envisage them pulling it back with points but that is what they did. The decision to throw Peter Cunningham into full forward was a no brainer at this stage but it had the desired effect.

Edenderry became nervous and Bracknagh had a new attacking focus to complement Cunningham's brother Mikey. They got three in the space of little over a minute from Anthony Cunningham and Mikey Cunningham (two) to make it a one point game and Edenderry were now living on their wits.

The final equaliser was self inflicted for Edenderry as they played keep ball but Briain Nolan handled on the ground just outside his own 40 metre line in the 61st minute. Peter Cunningham missed a similar free to win the opening round against Shamrocks but this time, there was never a doubt about where the ball was heading once it left his boot and a delighted Bracknagh were the only ones congratulating each other on the final whistle a couple of minutes later.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Peter Cunningham (Bracknagh): You could make a strong case for any of the three Cunningham brothers. Anthony had a fantastic game at wing back, as well as scoring an important point while Mikey was excellent in the attack, using his pace well and getting three of his five points from play – he did miss two good goal chances. However, Bracknagh could not have survived here without Peter's first half tour de force. He was not as prominent in the second half but continued to ask questions of Edenderry while he had no qualms about taking on the responsibility for the final kick. Some of Peter's play and movement was just a joy to watch. For the second game in a row, David Costello was again outstanding in the Bracknagh defence while Cian Farrell was Edenderry's best player.

THE SCORERS

Bracknagh: Mikey Cunningham 0-5 (2f), Peter Cunningham 0-2 (1f), Anthony Cunningham and Eoghan Geoghegan 0-1 each.

Edenderry: Cian Farrell 0-6 (5f and 1m), Mark Abbott 0-2, Jordan Hayes 0-1.

THE TEAMS

EDENDERRY: Loughlin Walsh; Briain Nolan, Sean Pender, Eoin Dunne; Lee Pearson, Adam Mahon, Daithi Brady; Bobby Reynolds, Jordan Hayes; Mark Abbott, David Hanlon, Darragh Farrell; Oran Lawton, Cian Farrell, Cillian Lowry. Subs – Daniel Lowry for Lowry (44m), Jack Brady for Reynolds (47m), Dylan Byrne for Darragh Farrell (51m).

BRACKNAGH: Keith Keogh; David Costello, Tom Hyland, Eoin Hyland; Anthony Cunningham, Ciaran Donnelly, Sean Dempsey; Mark Dunne, Jason Dempsey; Colin Broderick, Joe Costello, Eoghan Geoghegan; Robin Galbraith, Peter Cunningham, Mikey Cunningham. Subs – Fionn Dempsey for Galbraith (43m).

Referee – Fintan Pierce (Raheen).

REFEREE WATCH

There were a few questionable decisions but these balanced out and overall, Fintan Pierce had a good game. Cian Farrell claimed a mark in the first half but Pierce was perfectly right not to award it as he was outside the 40 metre line when he caught it.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Peter Cunningham's final equaliser was the big moment here. Cian Farrell's missed goal chance was also a turning point as that would have put Bracknagh to bed.

VENUE WATCH

It was a rare senior football fixture for Clonbullogue and it was good to give this proud club a game. While their own footballers were playing later in the evening, they made sure they had plenty of stewards and hosted the fixture well. Their pitch was in remarkably good condition – it is doubtful if any rural club has a pitch in better nick -, though the absence of a stand could have been felt on a showery day. With many people rushing off to other games, they managed traffic very efficiently with former Offaly footballer, Mark Daly, a Clonbullogue resident and a garda sergeant, getting cars out quickly after it.

WHAT'S NEXT

Bracknagh play Rhode and Edenderry meet Shamrocks in round 3.

STATISTICS

Wides: Edenderry - 10 (5 in first half); Bracknagh – 6 (5 in first half).

Yellow cards: Edenderry – 2 (Darragh Farrell and Cian Farrell); Bracknagh – 0.

Black cards: Bracknagh – 1 (Sean Dempsey); Edenderry 0.

Red cards: 0.