IFC Group A: The Croft shock Leixlip while Confey pick up an Intermediate win

Suncroft 3-9 Leixlip 0-14

Reporter: Seamus Dillon

Suncroft's league campaigns on any given year would never give much confidence on the run up to championship time but not for the first time the form book went out the window on Saturday as they caused a huge upset when they had four points to spare over a more fancied Leixlip outfit in Round 1 of the National Electrical Wholesalers IFC played in Conneff Park, Clane.

Leixlip, recently promoted to Division 1, were under Suncroft pressure from the opening whistle.

Tom Martin fisted over an opening minute Suncroft point as he raced in along the endline. Leixlip responded almost immediately when dangerous corner forward Conor Lawlor repeated Martin's feat with a fisted effort of his own but he had to work hard for space before landing the leveller.

Suncroft lined out with three championship debutants and it rose to 4 before the games conclusion. It was one of those debutants, Hugh Martin who lit up the opening half. Martin, a member of the Leinster winning County U20 panel was a breath of fresh air to the Croft attack. After Sam Murphy was hauled down by Leixlip keeper Niall McConnell seven minutes in Martin stepped up to take the penalty but had to rely on the rebound to land the opening goal.

Leixlip responded with points from Dan Gallery and Jack Lawlor.

A long kick-out from Ciaran Troy found Conn Kehoe who off-loaded to Tom Martin who then sent brother Hugh in on goal and after a lovely flick up he fired home a brilliant goal from all of 20 metres.

Leixlip responded with a Jack Lawlor free to reduce the gap to three but Suncroft’s Fionn Dowling landed a two-pointer free and another free a minute later after Hugh Martin was brought down.

Jack Lawlor was proving to be Leixlip's main scorer and two points before the break gave them hope. Hugh Martin was causing Leixlip plenty of problems and when he was brought down again Fionn Dowling landed the free to send Suncroft to the dressing rooms 2-5 to 0-6 ahead.

Dowling didn’t return after the break and coupled with the earlier loss of Jack Setright Suncroft had lost two of their experienced performers.

Leixlip started the half on the front foot and Darren McDermott's two-pointer was followed by a free from the same player, Conor Lawlor quickly reduced the gap to the minimum.

Hugh Martin eased the pressure with a 30 metre effort but another Darren McDermott free was followed by the leveller from Luke Mahon with 12 minutes to play.

Hugh Martin landed a free, Jack Lawlor restored parity and the winner was hard to call.

Suncroft kept driving forward and when Chris Phillps put Tom Martin into space the midfielder's pass allowed Conn Kehoe in on goal and he made no mistake for a third Suncroft goal. It was all out attack from Leixlip but they lacked composure and the yawning gaps allowed Hugh Martin land his third point.

Tom Martin and Jack Lawlor swapped late points before Darren McDermott got his marching orders and after nearly six minutes of injury time the final whistle sounded to a 3-9 to 0-14 win for Suncroft.

SUNCROFT: Ciaran Troy; Sean Malone, Conor Kiely, Arthur Bailey; Daragh Malone, Chris Phillips, Jack Setright; Conn Kehoe 1-0, Tom Martin 0-2; Senan Brannock, Hugh Martin 2-3 (1f), Adam Talbot; Sam Murphy, Eoghan Lawless, Fionn Dowling 0-4 (2pf,2f). Subs: Seamus Murphy for Jack Setright 25; Jack Doyle for Fionn Dowling h/t; Mark Brown for Eoghan Lawless b/s; Mark Brown for Eoghan Lawless b/s 44 to 48.; Mark Brown for Adam Talbot 54.

LEIXLIP: Niall McConnell; Sean O’Connor, Ryan Doyle, Kevin Conneely; Rory Flynn, Brian Gibbons, James Killeen; Dan Gallery 0-1, Ciaran Silke; Luke Mahon 0-1, Jack Lawlor 0-6 (4f), Darragh Melville; Mark O Toole, Darren McDermott 0-4 (2pt,2f), Conor Lawlor 0-2. Subs: Rob Tone for Mark O Toole 45; Tom Gibbons for Dan Gallery B/S 27-3; Eamon Murphy for Luke Mahon 56; Liam Weldrick for James Killeen 56.

Referee: Ray Kelly

Confey 2-14 Straffan 3-5

Reporter: Tommy Callaghan

Confey recorded a fully-deserved win in this National Electrical Wholesalers IFC Group A, Round 1 game played at Cedral St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge. In the end there was six points separating but it was in the melting pot for long periods level on 50 minutes before Colm Chan’s side pulled away holding Straffan scoreless for the remainder of the game.

Two individual displays was the standout of this game, in the form of Confey’s Jack O’Rahilly who notched up no less than 1-5 while for Straffan, midfielder Tom Donovan was the star of the opening half, as he singlehandedly kept his side in the hunt with three goals, adding a two-pointer for good measure.

The fact that there were two other scores in the game for Straffan was probably the difference between the sides while Confey had a fine spread of scorers, seven in total.

Wearing the no 17 shirt on his back, Confey’s Jack O’Rahilly got the ball rolling with a point after just three minutes while Ed Mather was unfortunate to see his goal attempt find the upright instead of the net before being cleared.

Five minutes in and it was Jack O’Rahilly who struck for the opening goal of the game, a fine finish indeed and the same player added two points to make it 1-3 to 0-0, O’Rahilly having scored the lot up to that point before Neil Ryan added a single.

Fourteen minutes in and it was Tom Donoavan who got his side off the mark on the score board, the midfielder carried the ball through the heart of the Confey defence before lashing it past Colin Heeney in the Straffan goal.

Brian Grimes replied, Kieran Kilbane added a point and Confey were looking comfortable leading 1-6 to 1-1, John Tracey getting the point.

twenty-three minutes in and Tom Donovan struck again following a ball in by Rory Byrne, Donoavan was in behind the defence, caught, turned and buried it and when Donoavan then struck for an excellent two-pointer the sides were level at 1-6 to 2-3.

Jack O’Rahilly edged Confey in front but that man Donovan struck again, taking a pass from Ruairi Power the big man found the net for the third time to leave the half-time score reading Straffan 3-3 Confey 1-8.

The opening four points were shared equally before Confey took control from the mid-way point.

Points from Jack Rahilly, substitute Niall Carney, Robin Breslin opened a three point gap on 57 minutes – 1-13 to 3-5.

There was no kick-back from the Straffan boys however as Confey kicked on again before the final whistle with Jack O’Rahilly finding the Straffan net at the death having been put through on a one-on-one with ‘keeper Matthew Duggan, O’Rahilly made no mistake as the final whistle arrived Confey taking the vital win on a final score linen of Confey 2-14 Straffan 3-5.

Scorers, Confey: Jack O’Rahilly 2-5 (1 free), Brian Grimes 0-2, Neil Ryan 0-2, Aidan Crean 0-1, Niall Carney 0-1, Robin Breslin 0-1, Kieran Kilbane 0-1, Josh Collins 0-1.

Straffan: Tom Donovan 3-2 (1 two-pointer), John Tracey 0-1 (free).

CONFEY: Colin Heeney; Aodán Jordan, Joe Kilbane, Alex Rochford; Conor Dennehy, Cathal Jennings, Aidan Crean; Paul Divilly, Kieran Kilbane; Philip Hallinan, Josh Collins, Brian Grimes; Neil Ryan, Niall Carney, Seán Murphy. Subs: Ben Corscadden for Philip Hallignan (42 minutes); Niall Carney for Neil Ryan (50 minutes); Robin Breslin for Sean Murphy (53 minutes).

STRAFFAN: Matthew Deegan; Alan Byrne,, Kevin McNeill, Aidan O’Brien; Ed Mather, Liam O’Donovan, John Tracey; Cathal O’Molloy, Tom Donovan; Ruairi Power, Brian Tracey, Dermot Nolan;Andd O'Neill, Aaron Kiernan, Rory Byrne. Subs: Tim Ryan for Cathal O’Molloy (half-time); Noah Brennan for Rory Byrne (ts 45-48 minutes); Noah Brennan for Ruairi Power (50 minutes); Niall Devane for Aidan O’Brien (59 minutes); Patrick Dunne for Ed Mather (59 minutes);.

REFEREE: Damien Whelan.