Naomh Brid clawed their way to the top of Div 2 on points difference after a vital win over third placed Glenravel at Harlequins on Wednesday evening.
This well deserved victory made it three on the bounce for the boys in blue, although the seven-point winning margin disguised the fact that the outcome was in the balance until near the finish.
The Glensmen showed no early signs of nerves and promptly popped over a point to show they meant business. However, Mark Sweeney’s cool finish following good interplay quickly levelled affairs. Mackle was then smartly off his line to intercept a dangerous through ball and set up a swift counter-attack, which came to nothing. While Naomh Brid were making good inroads into opposition territory with a tight hand-passing game, they were being undone by their final ball or poor finishing. However, they led for the first time through a Reilly point after good work by McGuckian, only for the Glensmen to hit back with an excellently worked score midway through the half.
A naïve foul, resulting in a free where the ball landed, handed back the lead to the home side as Brolly gratefully slotted over. With the momentum swinging towards Naomh Brid, it was no surprise when McGonigle doubled the slim advantage with a fine score on the run. But a near constant supply from midfield to the forward line from then to the interval returned a meagre McCann point as the wides ticked over into double figures.
Halt time: Naomh Brid 0-5 Glenravel 0-2
The second half began in cat-and-mouse fashion as Glenravel clung on to the Malone boys’ tail. First Reilly set up McCann for a simple score only for Glenravel’s impressive No. 8 to respond in kind. Then, after McCann had restored the two-score advantage after an excellent Loughrey run and pass, the dogged Glensmen reduced the deficit to three points again with another fine score.
The vital breakthrough came on 16 mins as the persistent pressure eventually punctured the away defence, Brolly handing MacSherry the simplest of tasks to rattle the net and double the lead. When Loughrey threaded a ball to Brolly who extended the comfort zone, it looked a done deal. But to their credit Glenravel refused to give up and, despite their growing frustration, battled back with two points to ward off any complacency in the home ranks. With time fast running out Naomh Brid held their nerve and composure to close out on a deserved win with frees from Brolly and MacSherry.
Team: J Mackle, J McKeever, D O’Hagan, P Finegan, G Macklin (R Brolly), G McGonigle, M Donnelly, J McGuckian, D Edwards, B Reilly, M Sweeney, J Loughrey, M MacSherry (R Taylor), C McCann, J Brolly
Man of the match: B Reilly
There was a double joy for Naomh Brid after the match as it emerged that they had gone top of ACL Div 2 on points difference thanks to St Enda’s narrow home win over the previously unbeaten Rasharkin. Just four points now separate the top six clubs as Div 2 is proving to be the melting pot it promised at the campaign outset. All credit to the management and squad for their excellent start to the season as Naomh Brid have made a seamless upgrade from Div 3. Next up are Round 2 home league fixtures against Davitt’s and St Enda’s on July 14 and 18. There will then be a well deserved break before the eagerly anticipated Senior Championship quarter final clash with Portglenone on 12 August.
