If ever two teams deserved another day out to settle a county final, these two teams did.
Thomastown and Bennettsbridge hurled themselves to a standstill and got a deserved standing ovation from the Nowlan Park crowd.
Thomastown showed their skill and composure, as they raced into a three-point lead by the seventh minute. Bennettsbridge gradually settled, and with their use of the towering Aidan Cleere as an outlet for their puckouts, they began to dominate.
With Robert Lennon dominant in the half back line, and Enda Morrissey in midfield, the Bridge took a 0-7 to 0-5 lead by half time.
Thomastown lifted the tempo and work rate considerably in the second half, and led 0-9 to 0-7 by the 44th minute. Michael Donnelly and Thomas ‘Tucker’ O’Hanrahan were the key players.
Hugh O’Neill inspired a Bennettsbridge comeback, and they landed three points to lead by a point by the 50th minute. Seven minutes from time Michael Donnelly levelled the game with a point from a 40-metre free out on the sideline.
Both teams missed chances to win the game in the closing stages, but a draw was a fair result.
Who will win next Sunday?
This is a very hard game to call, as both teams appeared to play to their potential in the drawn game. Thomastown will feel that they only played at full tilt for 20 to 25 minutes, while Bennettsbridge will look back at the poor start they got and the couple of clear cut chances to win it at the end of the game.
Thomastown’s Robert O’Hanrahan will start at wing back on Aidan Cleere in a bid to shut him out. The Bridge will continue with Cormac Wafer at full back to foil Thomastown danger man Tucker O’Hanrahan. Paul O’Neill was given the task of curbing Thomastown’s play maker and midfielder Michael Donnelly, and he succeeded to a certain degree.
Thomastown will have to get the ball into their full forward line – something they failed to do last Sunday. Bennettsbridge were able to curb the long clearances from the Town’s defence, with O’Hanrahan having to forage out the field for scores. Bennettsbridge got a lot more ball into the Thomastown danger area but they would not appear to have the same cutting edge in that area.
The game will hinge on the battle in the middle third of the field, and the pace at which the game is played. Bennettsbridge got the better of the battle in the drawn game around the middle, but when Thomastown upped the tempo of the game they looked good.
Better weather and a faster tempo to the game will give Thomastown the edge.
Another dominant performance from Robert Lennon at centre half back, Paul O’Neill and Enda Morrissey at midfield, and the talented Hugh O’Neill and Aidan Cleere in attack will bring the cup back to Bennettsbridge.
