Q. What do St Brigids do if Joe Brolly has an off day?
A. Send for Chris McCann.
A hat trick of goals plus two points from play marked McCann as the star man in this Division 3 encounter at Toome on Sunday 30th April ’06. Brolly’s off day meant he missed a couple of frees and ended up with only 0-4 to his credit!
This was as impressive a performance by St Brigids as the score line suggests with numbers 1 to 15 registering performances ranging from good to superb. The defence were like a healthy check up at the dentist; Shoukri… sound, Decy… sound, Richard….. (scraping at a bit of plaque there) sound, Joe… sound, Seamy… sound, Frankie… sound and Aidso… gleaming.
In midfield Gregory McGonigle was a tower of strength while James Loughrey was t totally brilliant.
Up front, along with the scorers, Duncan MacAuley had possibly his finest performance as a senior in a blue shirt while Ryan Brolly went through a tremendous amount of work.
McCann opened the scoring with a goal after two minutes when he was nicely set up by Ruari O’Neill and the lead should have been doubled a minute later when J Brolly put O’Neill himself through. Loughrey scored a fine solo effort before McCann finished another crisp move by side footing passed the keeper. JB added a free for a foul on the lively O’Neill before McCann rounded off the half with a long distance effort.
Half Time: Cargin II 0 – 3
St Brigids 2 – 3
The second period was dominated by the visitors but was not without its entertaining moments…
O’Neill, who was torturing his marker finally got fed up with the attention he was receiving and after being fouled for the nth time explained to the ref how he was of a Ben Johnston vintage while his marker couldn’t catch snail flu he was that slow. The ref listened attentively, nodded vigorously, booked Ruari and hopped the ball.
Meanwhile Deaghlan O’Hagan was so mesmerised by watching Joe Brolley make no less than six runs in different directions, in an attempt to shake off his marker, that he just hoofed the ball away. When questioned by Mr Brolly in relation to his actions, Decy explained his confusion after Joe’s second change of direction. They only teach left and right at Rathmore. Joe went off shaking his head, no doubt thinking maybe Desy Farrell and Kieran McGeeney are right after all, that Mayo hurlers and Div 3 Antrim footballers should be done away with (see Brolly’s must read article on the GPA in Ireland on Sunday 30/04/06).
At the other end John Mackle returned to entertain… as an umpire. When a Cargin player caught a ball in the square and fisted it to the net John duly gave a goal. Methinks that was against the rules even when John was still strutting his stuff for The Oak Leaf County in the late 80’s, he probably didn’t want Stephen keeping too many clean sheets.
Otherwise it was business as usual. Ruari responded to his booking the right way, with his boot and not his mouth. He registered 1-1, the goal being a real peach. McCann netted again after fine approach play from Loughrey. Benny Reilly capped a workmanlike performance with a fine point and Brolly scored three more.
Full Time: Cargin II 1 – 4
St Brigids 4 – 9
A great show but still only worth 2 points. Next up Ahoghill on Wed 3rd May.
Team:
Stephen Morrissey, Deaghlan O’Hagan, Richard Smith, Joe McKeever,
Seamus McArdle Frankie Devlin, Aidan Owens, James Loughrey(0-1), Gregory McGonigle, Duncan MacAuley, Chris McCann(3-2), Benny Reilly(0-1), Ryan Brolly,
Joe Brolly(0-4 2 frees), Ruari O’Neill(1-1).
Substitute used:
Andy Magill
