Bragging rights for New Oak after 93rd-minute Kelly strike
New Oak’s Josh Brady rises highest to win the header. Photos: Michael O'Rourke
New Oak have been used to a Kelly scoring big goals for them in big matches for the past few years in the form of midfield talisman Dean Denieffe-Kelly, but on Sunday there was a new Kelly in town as former St Pat’s midfielder Brandon Kelly came off the bench to score the winning goal in the 93rd minute with effectively the final kick of the game on his New Oak debut.
The New Oak/Crettyard rivalry is a storied one in Carlow, with 20 out of the last 26 league titles being won by the pair, dating back to 1999. They have consistently been two of the standard bearers and games between them are as heated and passionate as a derby match. This was no exception with very little between the two sides for a lot of the game.
Although New Oak will be wondering how they didn’t win the game earlier with several chances in a second half that they bossed going abegging. A lack of cohesion between a new group of players nearly cost New Oak but they pulled it out the bag thanks to a defensive lapse from Crettyard at the death.
Crettyard got off to the perfect start as Craig Kearney fouled Chris Chanders just inside the box in his first match back in Killeen having joined back from Clonmullion and referee Nathan Bannon did not hesitate to point to the spot. Gearoid Cuddihy rifled the spot kick into the top right hand corner.
New Oak equalised when Cian Cleary got onto the end of a Josh Brady ball and slotted home.
David Doyle went close with a few chances but couldn’t quite convert them, having an effort saved, steering an effort from halfway wide on the right and steering an effort from the left over the bar. Nothing would stick.
A Luke Ramsbottom free on the half hour mark threatened to cause damage but it was headed over the bar at the back post. Mikey Byrne went close for Crettyard shortly before half-time as Anthony Fitzpatrick teed him up down the right but he hit his effort across the box, narrowly missing the far bottom corner.
After the break, Doyle created a couple of chances, first steering an effort from distance wide on the left before seeing his free from the edge of the box saved by young Mark Dowling in the Crettyard goal. Jonah Kelly steered an effort from the left just over the bar.
On the hour mark, a Cian Dowling cross from the right was headed just over the bar by Jack O’Neill. With 20 minutes gone, the ball fell to Charlie Nolan playing his first game since breaking his jaw after a rough encounter with Hanover in the Shield, and he found space and got a shot away only to put his effort wide on the left.
Midway through the half, a Cuddihy free from the left saw Chanders’ effort at the back post saved in the best chance of the half. Down the other end, Brandon Kelly having been sprung from the bench will wonder how he didn’t score having got onto the end of a Cleary ball from the right at the back post but somehow managed to hit his effort off the near post before seeing it ricochet off the far post before being cleared.
Doyle headed over a Ramsbottom corner from the right before a Roy Byrne ball from the right was parried into the path of Eoin Carolan by Mikey Byrne but he saw his effort saved. A long ball from Dowling on the right found Kelly in the middle but he headed wide on the left. Crettyard could have won it in stoppage time but Jonah Kelly couldn’t quite steer Cuddihy’s free from the right goalward.
It was at the death that a David Doyle ball was parried into the path of Brandon Kelly on the edge of the box and the Rathvilly man who helped his side win the county final last week made no mistake in volleying into the bottom left hand corner to mark a memorable debut.
Craig Kearney, Cian Dowling, Killian Barry, David Keating, Conor Carew, Luke Ramsbottom, Charlie Nolan, Jack O'Neill, Josh Brady, David Doyle, Cian Cleary.
Owen McCormack, James McGrath, Brandon Kelly, Dylan Keightley, Eoin Carolan, Roy Byrne, Keelan Brennan.
Mark Dowling, Jack Brady, Gearoid Cuddihy, Fionnan Brennan, Craig Comerford, Jonah Kelly, Anthony Fitzpatrick, Ross Fitzgerald, Christopher Chanders, Michael Byrne, James Dowling.
Ryan Byrne, Zaccarouis Phelan, Kyle Roycroft, Mark Lyons, Riogan Doran, Adam Dowling, Kyle O'Reilly.
Nathan Bannon assisted by Paul Hunston and Joe Byrne.
