AIB Ulster Club SFC quarter-final
Newbridge (Derry) 0-12 Clann Eireann (Armagh) 0-14
STOPPAGE-TIME points from Ryan Owens and man-of-the-match Jack Conlon proved enough as Clann Éireann pushed Newbridge out of the picture yesterday at Celtic Park.
It was fitting that it was Owens, Conlon and Conor McConville who were involved in breaking the game.
With Killian Burke and Newbridge’s collective workrate keeping Conor Turbitt scoreless from play for 63 minutes after he opened the scoring, it was the sum of Clann Éireann’s parts that stamped their passport for a semi-final with Errigal Ciaran.
In what was a sporting and free-flowing game littered with sweet scores, the Armagh men found theirs easier to come by.
They led by three points after 28 minutes, but Newbridge had their spell – fuelled by Conor Doherty – either side of the break to go ahead within five minutes of the restart.
The next 10 minutes changed momentum’s direction. It was scoreless with Barry McCambridge then moved across to Conor Doherty to turn down the heat.
The fact the sides were level five times in the second half tells the story of fine margins.
In the end, Clann Éireann broke the game with their other tool – a narrow defensive spine. At vital points, they clogged the Newbridge wheels looking a path to the scoring hot spot.
Newbridge joint-manager Kevin Brady admitted it was a day when they missed Paudie McGrogan.
“They’re a big, strong physical team and just maybe that bit more experience that they have showed in the end,” he said of Clann Éireann.
“He (McGrogan) would have been made for that sort of a game. We just needed another big strong man in there to help.”
When Clann Éireann went one point up with Owens’ second point in stoppage-time, Newbridge had one more throw of the dice.
Mark Doherty was on the end of the last move. It was like the move for their winning county final score only Clann Éireann weren’t opening the door.
They filled the middle as Doherty’s momentum snaked forward and when the ball popped out, Conor McConville hoovered up the break and rejoined the attack to make the insurance point for Jack Conlon.
Clann Éireann manager Ruairi Lavery was full of praise for their spread of scores.
“When you’ve got players like ‘Turbo’ (Conor Turbitt), he’ll obviously get some of the attention from the opposition,” he said.
“One of the things that we’ve identified this year is that there’s 14 other players on the field.
“The way the game’s played now, the forwards are expected to defend, so I don’t see why the defenders aren’t expected to score.”
This was a novel pairing. Newbridge were out of Derry for the first time in 35 years. Clann Éireann had two games in 2021 before being undone by the Derrygonnelly eye for goal.
It was open. It was sporting. It was end to end. There were no out and out sweepers. It was a case of, well, if you score then we’ll score. Neither team were going back down the Glenshane Pass wondering.
Aside from the Newbridge spell of control after half-time, Clann Éireann purred and feeding off turnovers energised them.
Newbridge deployed Killian Burke on Turbitt. Odhran McGlone was tagging Barry McCambridge in the middle third when Newbridge were out of possession before then pushing forward when they had the ball.
Sean McCarthy picked up Conor Doherty before McCambridge moved across to the Derry star in the second half when he was wreaking havoc. It was McCambridge who fed Turbitt for the opening score in the opening seconds. If that set the tone, then Newbridge’s response was like looking in the mirror with the directness of Conor McAteer and Conleth McGrogan’s point.
As the first half stretched out, Newbridge were chasing the game for the first time. Ruairí McDonald boomed over a sweet score, but a short Newbridge kick-out was worked up field for Callum McGrogan to pop over the bar.
This was how it continued. End to end. Conor McConville hit a point after initially peeling wide to pick up Mulholland’s kick-out for one of scores of the half.
The one goal chance of the game fell to Ruairí McDonald but Gribbin got down well to make the save at his near post.
When the Lurgan side stretched their lead to three points, Conor Doherty kicked a vital score on the shoulder of half-time to cut the gap, 0-8 to 0-6, at the break.
Burke won the first ball pumped into the Clann Éireann attack with Conor Doherty getting upfield to score.
The sides were level within three minutes of the restart. Conor Doherty fed Mark Doherty who was hauled down on the edge of the penalty area with youngest brother Oisin tapping over.
Conor Doherty’s run then won a free seconds later and Newbridge led for the first time in the 35th minute.
After a scoreless 10-minute spell, Clann Éireann had steadied the ship with McDonald levelling matters before Conor McGrogan got forward to kick the Derry men back into the lead at 0-10 to 0-9 after 44 minutes.
“The start of the second half, the first 10 minutes, we didn’t come out of the changing rooms,” Lavery said of his side.
“Newbridge got a really good start and were full of energy but thankfully, gradually we worked our way into the game and I think we finished very strongly, to be fair.”
Tiernan Kelly’s booming effort put Clann Éireann ahead again but Newbridge were relentless as they chased the game. With three minutes to go, Conor McAteer fisted over and extra-time was a reality.
The game changed for the final time. An aimless Turbitt shot dropped in the ‘Bridge defence before pinging loose with Owens popping over to put them ahead.
Chasing the game, Newbridge were caught in possession in the last play with Conlon adding the insurance score.
Newbridge J Gribbin; C Brooks, K Burke, Conor McGrogan (0-1); M Doherty, P McMullan, M McGrogan (0-1); C Doherty (0-2), S McGrogan, Conleth McGrogan (0-1); S Young, Callum McGrogan (0-1), C McAteer (0-2); O McGlone, O Doherty (0-4 frees)
Subs J Diamond for O McGlone (50), A McGlone for Young (61)
Clann Éireann E Mulholland; S Heffron (0-1), M O’Shea, C O’Carroll; B McCambridge, E Magee, R Owens (0-2); S McCarthy T Kelly (0-1), C McConville (0-2); J Conlon (0-4), D Magee, A Kelly; R McDonald (0-2, 0-1 free), C Turbitt (0-2, 0-1 free)
Subs R Meehan for A Kelly (42), A McConville for McDonald (54), R French for Owens (62)
Yellow card T Kelly (49)
Referee P Faloon (Down)
