The Seniors secured a top four play off spot at Woodlands with a hard fought victory over St Malachys. With holiday season started and Eunan Conway volunteering to assist the Division 4 team, it was a fairly experimental lineout that took the field. Two excellent long-range scores from Deaghlan O’Hagan early on set the tone for the half. With O’Hagan marshalling mid field and Conor Taylor and Duncan MacAuley running rampant in the half forward line more scores were to follow. Taylor notched one while MacAuley slotted over three in a row, with O’Hagan adding a free. Their dominance was assisted by the performance of Oliver Lennon at full forward who seemed to have somehow distracted the entire visitors’ defence.
So… 7 nil up and half time approaching. What more could you ask for? It was at this stage that St Malachys floated in a high dropping ball into the St Brigids square from a rare attack. At that precise moment the sun came out, the direction of the wind changed and a flock of seagulls flew straight in front of the goals… or so claims John Mackle. Despite a Roy Carroll like scramble from the resultant dropped ball a goal was awarded. Soccer doesn’t need video replays, it needs honest umpires… Thanks Mr. Chairman.
Half Time: St Brigids 0 – 7
St Malachys 1 – 0
St Malachys did pressurise in the second half, but with Mackle’s career drop now behind him and the full back line of Frank O’Neill, Richard Smyth and Joe McKeever playing out of their skins, they only managed to register one point from a free.
At the other end MacAuley and Paul McCrudden scored from play while Lennon turned back the clock to show that there is no such thing as a late tackle if it happens on the same day as the match.
Time was played out with Frankie Devlin insisting that Paul O’Hara hit all the frees off the ground to run down the clock.. There’s no substitute for experience.
Full Time St Brigids 0 – 9
St Malachys 1 – 1
