Coill Dubh master the monsoon to beat Confey in drenched Kildare SHC opener

Coill Dubh made the best of monsoon conditions to get a win on the board in their UPMC SHC opener against Confey.

Despite the horrendous rain, a red-hot Coill Dubh start could not be dampened with Johnny Byrne pointing twice inside the first minute of this game. Two fine strikes from the former Kildare county man settled his side and put them on a path to early domination of this fixture.

There was a point from a free at each end, from Frank Bass and Mark Delaney, before the downpour worsened at the five-minute mark.

Not long after Coill Dubh hit the net with John Dee managing the conditions best by latching onto a breaking wet ball, battering through green shirts and sweeping the ball, which had squirted loose, low into the net to give his side a 1-3 to 0-1 lead.

A second Coill Dubh goal chance was thwarted by a foul and the resultant close-range free tapped over by Declan Flaherty.

A Delaney ‘65 was next on the agenda for Coill Dubh as they continued to have all the joy in the opening 12 minutes with Confey unable to work the ball out of the back or hold meaningful possession.

Confey didn’t help themselves either with a free was brought forward making Mark Delaney’s latest task all the easier as he made it 1-6 to 0-1 after 15 minutes of action.

Coill Dubh were getting all the breaks of the ball in the opening period but to their credit were earning them through dogged determination.

However, around the 20-minute mark, Confey began to get a foothold which, despite not resulting in scores straight away, demonstrated their willingness to make a game of this drenched encounter.

Eanna O’Neill’s point for Coill Dubh during their opponents best spell to that point demonstrated their superior ability to find the target throughout.

Trailing by nine at 1-7 to 0-1, Confey took control of the remainder of the half and hit four of the half’s final five scores.

Frank Bass’ second converted free was followed by his first from play when he took possession, spun and shot between the posts.

Mark Delaney got Coill Dubh’s final of the half from another well-taken free.

Confey’s best play of the game ended in Seán Quigley pointing from range with four green shirts involved in some slick interplay before the wing-back fired over.

The trailing side really were finishing with a flourish when Cathal Jennings fired over a cracker from out wide. The corner-forward’s late score was the half’s best and last as Coill Dubh took a 1-8 to 0-5 lead in at the break.

The Confey resurgence continued after the restart with Frank Bass adding another to get his team within five.

Coill Dubh needed to steady the ship and Johnny Byrne struck beautifully from midfield to register their first of the second half.

The centre-backs traded scores then with Paul Divilly and Mark Grace adding to the tallies of their respective sides.

Seán Quigley produced a brilliant solo run to have Confey within five while chatter amongst the Coill Dubh fans grew nervous as their side grew increasingly wasteful in front of goal.

All it took was two minutes to expel those nerves with an exceptional point from out wide which was knocked over by Ryan Casey before Mark Delaney found the net. First-half goal-scorer John Dee turned provider inadvertently when he took aim below the crossbar once again but saw his effort controlled by Delaney and dispatched into the roof of the net. Coill Dubh’s second goal, from the midfielder who had moved into full-forward for the second half, all but secured victory with a 2-11 to 0-8 lead with 15 minutes to go.

Delaney added another before being taken off, in between which Quigley added another for Confey.

Paul Divilly added another from a ‘65 as this game edged its way towards the conclusion. Ben Shortt was last on the scoresheet for Coill Dubh after a lovely flick up to himself and strike after a low-driven sideline cut flew towards him.

Confey’s Seán Maher closed the evening’s scoring as the teams walked off equally soaked but

Coill Dubh eight points the better at 2-13 to 0-11.

Coill Dubh: Mark Delaney 1-5 (0-3 frees, 0-1 ‘65), John Dee 1-0, Johnny Byrne 0-3, Declan Flaherty 0-1 (0-1 frees), Mark Grace 0-1, Ryan Casey 0-1, Ben Shortt 0-1, Eanna O’Neill 0-1.

Confey: Frank Bass 0-4 (0-2 frees), Seán Quigley 0-3, Paul Divilly 0-2 (0-1 ‘65), Cathal Jennings 0-1, Seán Maher 0-1.

COILL DUBH: Ross Carew; Niall Keane, Dylan Brereton, Conor Gordon; John Dee, Mark Grace, Fionn Moran; Sean Dunne, Mark Delaney; Eanna O'Neill, Declan Flaherty, Sean McLoughlin; Colm Gordon, Johnny Byrne, Steven Ryan. Subs: Ryan Casey for Steven Ryan (Half-time), Ben Shortt for Mark Delaney (50 minutes), Evan Smullen for Declan Flaherty (52 minutes),

CONFEY: Shane Quinn; Aaron Maher, Kieran Kilbane, Aidan Crean; Philip Quigley, Paul Divilly, Seán Quigley; Enda Bannon, Cian O'Sullivan; Luke Quinn, Brian Grimes, Neil Ryan; Cathal Jennings, Frank Bass, Alex Rochford. Subs: Seán Maher for Brian Grimes (46 minutes), Colm Noctor for Cathal Jennings (56 minutes).

Referee: Matthew Redmond