Knockbeg and Terenure contest decided by superb individual performance
Cialann Brady was outstanding for the Laois Carlow school
Knockbeg College are through to the quarter finals of the Leinster Colleges ‘A’ football championship following a fine win over Terenure College.
In SETU Carlow, Eire Og forward Cialann Brady was on fire as he accounted for 1-7 of his side’s tally over the course of the half.
Knockbeg College 1-14
Terenure College 1-8
Terenure College are more known for their rugby exploits but they had some fine footballers here and challenged Knockbeg physically throughout. Knockbeg began the better of the two sides but it was Terenure who had the first real chance.
Alex Dunne broke forward and set up James McCormack who came in from a tight angle but his shot just went wide.Knockbeg got off the mark in the fifth minute when John Phiri scored from distance and that was quickly followed by a Cialann Brady brace.
Terenure struggled to get forward and their first score didn’t come until the 16th minute when James Greally slotted a free. Knockbeg stepped on the gas again though as Brady landed two more scores before his twin Josh won and slotted a mark.
Terenure grabbed a second score before half time when Alex Dunne got in from wing back and fisted over. But Knockbeg ended the half with a free from Jeremy Kelly to lead 0-7 to 0-2 at the interval.
Knockbeg almost put the game to bed when play restarted as TJ Nolan found Josh Brady with a pinpoint pass but Patrick Fleming in the Terenure goal sprung to his right to deny Brady’s shot.
Jeremy Kelly did move Knockbeg six clear with a mark soon after but Terenure came storming back.First, Daniel O’Kelly pointed from distance and Terenure then won the resulting kick-out with Donal Murray seeing his shot come back off the upright where James Greally reacted fastest before burying a shot into the corner of the net.
The margin was back to three now but Knockbeg didn’t panic and regained their composure with Kelly slotting a free and Cialann Brady adding two more points by the 40th minute. Ennae Byrne kicked his first soon after but Terenure kept plugging away as scores from Greally (2) and Billy Shouldice left just three in it again with 51 minutes played.
But then the decisive moment came when Ennae Byrne stole a Terenure kick out and forced the ball to Cialann Brady who smashed it into the top corner of the net. Greally pointed twice in response for Terenure but Knockbeg made the game safe with another point from Byrne before Cialann Brady took his tally to 1-7.
Once all the preliminary rounds have been played, the quarter final draw will take place and Knockbeg will learn their fate.