JFC: Flanagan leads 'Bridge to more junior glory

September 29, 2009

Butlersbridge captain Michael Fitzpatrick (left) holds aloft the Cavan JFC Cup at Breffni Park
Butlersbridge 4-8 Swanlinbar 0-11 An eight-minute goal-spree just before half-time proved crucial in Butlersbridge claiming their third Sean Leddy Cup in seven years, as they saw off Swanlinbar's challenge at Kingspan Breffni Park on Sunday. As was expected, the opening stages of this decider were very competitive, with Swanlinbar slightly edging the battle over the first quarter of an hour. It was Butlersbridge that opened the scoring first though when Sennin Flanagan, who top-scored with 1-4 over the hour, pointed his first of the afternoon with a sweet strike off his left boot, and the same player popped over the Bridge's second after Robbie Prior had got Swad off the mark. The west Cavan side settled into the game better after that with efforts from Michael Cunningham, Prior and Michael Curran flying over the bar. Cunningham and Curran were on top at centre-field at this stage, as Swad opened up a 0-5 to 0-3 lead after the first quarter, but the advantage was short lived. After losing their goalkeeper, Gerry Scollan, to injury, Swad conceded the game's first goal when county senior Lorcan Mulvey found Michael Fitzpatrick in front of goal and the veteran centre-forward smashed past substitute Gavin Leydon - it was exactly what Phelim Plunkett's team needed to lift them. Swad replied in a decent fashion when Michael Cunningham and Mark Cunningham (free) raised white flags down the other end, but Flanagan pounced for a second 'Bridge goal shortly afterwards and when Martin Fitzpatrick netted just before the break Butlersbridge were firmly in the driving-seat at half-time, ahead by a 3-3 to 0-7 margin. In the second-half, the expected come back from Swanlinbar never came, as Flanagan continued to torment them with another point, before Robbie Prior and Michael Cunningham eventually got single replies. With 12 minutes remaining, Flanagan notched over his fourth point from a distance after dispossessing his man out on the left flank. Martin Fitzpatrick and Mulvey added good points after that to bury any hopes of Swad mounting a comeback. Prior did pull back two frees for his team, but the Bridge stormed in for another goal when Karlos Conlon passed to Noel McPhilips and the full-forward was on hand to blast to the Swad net and raise a fourth green flag in the Bridge's favour to send them back to the intermediate ranks. Butlersbridge - Keith Gumley; Stephen O'Hara, Mark Shannon, Kieran Greenan; Andrew McConnell, Padraig McGearty, Brian Greenan; Lorcan Mulvey (0-1), Killian Shannon; Paul Murphy, Michael Fitzpatrick (1-0), John Shannon; Sennin Flanagan (1-4), Noel McPhilips (1-1), Martin Fitzpatrick (1-1). Subs: Fergal Flanagan (0-1), Eamon Diver, Karlos Conlon, Paul Flynn, Patrick Flynn. Swanlinbar - Gerry Scollan; Paul Prior, Adrian McGoldrick, Thomas O'Brien; Damien Leydon, Paul Brennan, Seamus Corrigan; Michael Curran (0-2), Michael Cunningham (0-2); Rory McBarron, Padraig McManus, Robbie Prior (0-5); Paul McGovern, Mark Cunningham (0-2), Christopher Curran. Subs: Gavin Leydon, Donal McGovern, Padraig Leydon, Gearoid McKiernan.

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