Naomh Brid shot back to the top of ACL Div 2 with a richly deserved six-point win over title contenders Rasharkin at Harlequins on Monday evening. Given the stakes it was little surprise that this turned out to be an absorbing and full-blooded encounter which saw the hour just fly by.
Proceedings were barely under way before the home side made the most of a fortuitous rebound high off the post, Macsherry reacting quickest to calmly slot home from close range. Despite this early setback Rasharkin replied with two swift points to the vocal approval of an impressive away support. Both sides then swapped a brace of wides as the play ebbed and flowed from one end to the other. However, the mobile Rasharkin half back line was finding space to launch a number of attacks and from one such move midway through the half the home defence was breached and an indisputable penalty conceded. The home net bulged, Mackle given no chance, as Rasharkin hit the front. Then a good run by Loughrey was unfairly ended and Joe Brolly punished the offence to narrow the gap. A loose pass from the home defence helped Rasharkin restore their lead before Edwards reduced the deficit to the minimum with a fine point on 20 minutes. Brolly then brought parity, converting a difficult free after Edwards had fisted wide from close range following a good interchange with Loughrey.
But a defiant Rasharkin roared back, first with a simple free and then an excellent long-range point to restore their advantage as the first half drew to a close. It seemed as though they would retain that lead when Edwards scorned an open goal. However, moments later the same player made no mistake when unmarked in a similar position, courtesy of a pinpoint Brolly pass. Given the see-saw nature of the game it was no surprise when Rasharkin equalized on the stroke of half time with an excellent 45.
Half time: St Brigid’s 2-3 Rasharkin 1-6
The half time team talk seemed to work wonders as Naomh Brid produced their best football of the season in a scintillating second half display. They piled on the early pressure, monopolizing possession at midfield and snaffling up almost every break ball. Manager MacSherry winced at a few squandered early chances before Brolly settled the nerves, rattling over twice thanks to smart assists from O’Hagan and MacSherry. Mark Sweeney was then fouled as he bore in on goal after making a good interception, and MacSherry pointed to stretch the lead to three. The home side’s dominance was only briefly interrupted by a Rasharkin point before the decisive moment on 42 minutes, when Edwards was illegally grounded as he bore in on goal and MacSherry rifled a daisycutter to the bottom corner from the resultant spot kick.
Rasharkin reduced the deficit to four on 49 minutes but this was to be their last score as Naomh Brid were in control in every quarter of the field. Their passing was crisp and accurate with good movement off the ball. Rasharkin’s growing frustration affected their discipline in the latter stages and two naive fouls were punished by MacSherry and Brolly to wrap up the points for the home side.
Team: J Mackle, J McKeever, D O’Hagan, P Finnegan (C Mullan), B McMahon, G McGonigle, G Macklin, J Loughrey, M Donnelly, B Reilly, D Edwards, M Sweeney, M MacSherry, J Brolly, R Brolly (J Marley)
Man of the match: D O’Hagan
With St Brigid’s leading Div 2 at the half-way point, all eyes now turn to their biggest challenge yet, when they make their senior championship debut in a quarter-final clash with Div 1 side Portglenone on Sunday. The boys in blue will go into this game in good heart and the Portglenone spies at Harlequins on Monday night will have been gi
