ST BRIGID’S MINORS END ST PAUL’S UNBEATEN LEAGUE RUN
MINOR LEAGUE MATCH
Score St Brigid’s 3-8 St Paul’s 1-9
Dated 1 May 2007 YMCA Bladen Drive, Belfast
St Brigid’s Minors stepped up to the mark on Tuesday night when facing the unbeaten league leaders St Paul’s.
St Paul’s in the first ten minutes had the major possession of the ball and played with the attitude and confidence of league leaders. However, a combination of wasteful wides and sterling defensive work by Ciaran Connolly kept them scoreless. When the other St Brigid’s defenders woke up and matched Ciaran Connolly’s work rate the match then began in earnest. St Brigid’s registered their first score with a typically confident free kick from that man Cormac McGrady. At this stage Michael Malone was getting to grips with midfield and St Brigid’s were winning most of the breaking ball. Chris Donnelly went on a solo run and his amazing run ended with the ball being hammered into the back of the net. Another flowing move instigated by David Brennan was finished off with a superb pass by Michael Malone to Cormac McGrady who slotted over for a second point.
St Paul’s answered these three scores with their first point through a silly free kick being given away on the 14 yard line. An immediate response by Chris Donnelly saw him again finding the back of the net after some selfless work by Andy McLarnon and Ryan Mackle.
St Paul’s were very much under pressure at this stage but it is a sign of a good team that never gives up and they came back with two excellent long range points of their own. However Chris Donnelly was in sparkling form. He followed his two goals with another close range point. Stevie O’Brien at the end of another sweeping move by St Brigid’s was fouled and Cormac McGrady slotted over the resulting free. Two further points from Michael Malone and Chris Donnelly seemed to close off the game for St Brigid’s before half time. St Paul’s finished the half by scoring a point.
Half time 2-6 to 0-4
In the second half as expected St Paul’s came back at St Brigid’s extremely hard. Matthew Kelly and Matthew Edgar were doing magnificent man-marking jobs on the St Paul’s danger men. St Paul’s then switched their midfield men and put in an extra midfielder. However, Tim McCrudden upped his work rate to counteract these measures. Two points from Connor McGranaghan and Ben Sinnott to try to turn the tide were interspersed with St Brigid’s squandering three clear goal chances. Each miss seemed to give St Paul’s more heart and with their No 9 and No 13 starting to win more ball St Brigid’s defence came under severe pressure.
Mathew Edgar in the full back line sustained an injury but Luke McGread deputised to good effect St Paul’s to their credit scored one goal and three points to close the gap on St Brigid’s to only three points and appeared ready to overrun the home team.
Most other teams would have folded but the Yellows and Blues with Stevie O’Brien, Michael Malone and Ciaran Connolly doing some superb defence work held out against the onslaught. Niall George was brought on for his debut for the last ten minutes to add extra pace to the forwards. This seemed to relieve the pressure on St Brigid’s. However not satisfied with sitting on the three point lead, Chris Donnelly on the overlap fired the ball into the top corner with minutes to go to give the score line a better reflection of the dominance of St Brigid’s play throughout the match.
This was a superb performance by the minor panel despite missing some key players. Some of&nb
