UNDER STRENGTH ST BRIGID’S ACHIEVE MAGNIFICENT WIN
St Brigid’s 2-9 St John’s 1-10
YMCA Bladen Drive, Belfast – Tuesday 22 May 2007
St Brigid’s Minors approached this game with a certain amount of trepidation missing 12 panel players to exam commitments. The Mentors brought in 4 players from the U-16 panel list to make up a team.
P Nolan was put in the forward line to see if instead of usually saving goals he could score any goals. His younger brother Daniel making his debut for the minors also joined him on the forward line. Other debuts were given to Jack Dowling on the half forward line and Turlough Convery in goals.
The first half display from St Brigid’s Minors, considering the circumstances and playing against a strong St John’s side, was quite simply of the best performances from a minor side ever at St Brigid’s.
They exhibited exciting, fast flowing football against a stunned St John’s side. Their passing of the ball was quick and decisive.
The defensive cover, particularly from Thomas McGeogh with superb first rate back up from Ciaran Connolly.
Anything that may have escaped their attention was quickly snapped up by Mathew Kelly and Steve O’Brien.
However the lynchpin in defence was Ben Sinnott who had his best game to date in the yellow/blue jersey, Working tirelessly as a link between defence and the forwards Ben read the game superbly.
Within the first 5 mins of play a quick attack by St Brigid’s seemed to have been stalled by St John’s but Jack Dowling beating his marker quickly swivelled and fired home St Brigid’s first point with great aplomb.
At this stage P Nolan was being used as a target man and two of his lay offs resulted in two confident points from Daniel McKeever. Enjoying a roving role in the forward line David was causing constant problems to the stunned West Belfast defenders.
A free from Daniel was knocked down by a St John’s overworked defender and Paddy Nolan was there to ram the ball into the back of the net.
Mathew Kelly ended off a sweeping move which he had initially started himself by firing over a point of his own. Further points from Daniel McKeever (from a free) and Paddy Nolan left the score line an unbelievable 1-6 to nil to the home team.
St John’s at this stage crowded the midfield to try to stem the flow of attacks from St Brigid’s. However superb fielding from Conor McGranaghan and David Brennan continued to keep the momentum with the home team.
After a first point registered by St John’s that man Paddy Nolan (yes Paddy again) struck a further shot to the far corner for St Brigid’s 2nd goal. Yes Paddy – sometimes it appears such an easy game!
The last 5 minutes of the first half saw St Paul’s registering three points to indicate the match was far from over as a contest.
1st Half St Brigid’s 2-6 St John’s 0-4
The coaches warned the home team that St John’ would seek to stage a come-back and that the 2nd half would be more defensive encounter. Questionable refereeing decisions added to the effect and for most of the 2nd half. St Brigid’s, tiring from the 1st half exertions and playing against the wind, were on the back foot.
Break outs were rare and St Brigid’s were hoping some of their wides would not come back to haunt them.
St John’s scored 5 further points to one solitary response from P Nolan.
A questionable free resulted in St John’s scoring a quite superb goal of their own.
At that stage St John’s were now only 2 points behind. But for a superb full length finger tips save from Turlough Convery the situation could have been worse. In response to such an effort St
