Our O35s continued their pre-season preparations with a comfortable 2-0 friendly win away to OMP.

Both goals came in a seven minute spell midway through the first half.

A free kick from out wide on the left was played deep into the area where Johnny Cahill got the decisive touch amid a crowd of players giving Johnstown a 1-0 lead.

It became 2-0 when Alan Burke scored with a deft back heel finish following an excellent run by Rory McGrath.

As the game wore on the conditions worsened but Johnstown’s net was rarely troubled.

The result leaves our lads chomping at the bit, eagerly awaiting start of competitive action in the couple of weeks.

Keep an eye out on our website and Facebook page for details of their next game, and come out and lend your support to the boys

Trim Town 2

Johnstown 3

Thanks to a late winner from Rory McGrath, Johnstown secured their passage into the semi finals of the Over 35s league with this 3-2 win against Trim Town on Wednesday evening.

The night started in the worst possible fashion as Trim Town fired themselves in front following a very harsh penalty awarded inside the first 5 minutes.

Despite the set back, Johnstown heads did not drop. During the next 15 minutes,  Johnstown created a number of opportunities that lacked the finishing touch.

Finally they pulled level on 18 minutes as J. Byrne converted the best move of the night. Starting with Trevor Greene in midfield, he played a long pass to Ian Murphy who took the ball into the box.

Seeing Byrne  unmarked in front of goal, Murphy laid the ball across the 6 yard cutting out the Trim keeper and leaving Byrne with the easy task of netting his 4th goal of the campaign.

Johnstown’s joy did not last long as 4 minutes later Pat Hegarty was picking the ball out of his net for the second time of the night. After initially pushing a close range shot on to the bar Hegarty was helpless as Trim reacting the quicker and  nodded the rebound into the net restoring their lead.

Just before the interval, Hegarty came to his side’s rescue. Trim broke well leaving the forward in a one-on-one with the Johnstown netminder. Hegarty remained tall before producing an excellent save to keep the trim lead at just 1 goal.

The second half saw Johnstown almost set up camp at the Trim end but try as they might, they just could not create any real goal scoring chances.

That was until Gavin Merrigan went up for a corner with 16 minutes remaining. Rory McGrath’s corner was cleared to the edge of the box where Merrigan set himself, took a touch, and fired his shot in off the underside of bar levelling the scores once again.

The night of drama was not finished though. In final minute, Rory McGrath took possession in the final third. Having beaten a defender he hit an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the Trim net, securing his side a place in next week play-offs.

Johnstown FC Team:  P. Hegarty, B. Sanfey,  D. Grumley, G. Merrigan, D. Byrne, R. McGrath, T. Greene, A. Burke, I. Murphy, J. Byrne

Subs: D. Conway, M. Hanley.