Naomh Brid laid down an early marker for the season with an emphatic victory over St. Paul’s in Sunday’s ACL Div 1 opening round. Their large 16 point winning margin – marking the club’s first victory over the Shaws Road team at senior level – reflected accurately the gap on the day in terms of preparartion and fitness between the sides. Eunan Conway’s men the obvious beneficiaries of a valuable pre-season work-out in the Ulster Club League.
The Malone side got quickly off the mark with points from Cunningham and Brolly, who was sprightly and dangerous throughout, before St Paul’s first of only two first half scores on five minutes when Mackle could only fingertip over the bar. Naomh Brid’s overall work rate and closing down of space was first rate as St Paul’s limited possession was turned over time and again, much to their frustration. Brolly struck twice again to reward good support play first from Reilly and then the excellent Sweeney. St Paul’s for once were given too much room through the centre and posted their last contribution to the half on 13 minutes. They were rocked minutes later, though, when Loughrey and MacAuley combined to send through Reilly whose shot was parried by the keeper but only into Cunningham’s path who gratefully inflicted major damage. Naomh Brid were now rampant as Cunningham and Brolly added to their growing tallies to extend the lead to six. St Paul’s seemed shell-shocked as they struggled to win even a single break ball and the first half ended much as it had begun with McMahon foraging from defence for a fine score and Brolly punishing a handling foul drawn by Cunningham’s super tackle.
Half time: Naomh Pol 0-2 Naomh Brid 1-8
What little energy the home side had left was practically expended in their rush to join a nasty flare-up at the start of the second half instigated by a fist from behind that pole-axed O’Hagan to the referee’s blind side. When order was restored Naomh Brid answered the rough-house tactics in style with a Brolly score after Edwards’ surging run and a good point from the powerful McGuckian. A mistimed ball bounce then left St Paul’s in for a soft goal, which they followed up with two points. But the aberration was only fleeting as the Naomh Brid machine quickly rolled back into gear with a further litany of scores. MacAuley fielded well and took a great pass from Reilly to score. Loughrey showed his basketball skills to palm over a point and then set up MacAuley for another one. Brolly took his personal tally to an impressive seven points when Edwards was upended. And the home support’s misery was complete on 46 minutes when Sweeney’s mesmerizing run was illegally cut short and Cunningham expertly found the bottom corner of the net from the resultant penalty. Substitute McGrady added his name to the score sheet with an assist from the hard-working O’Neill. The home side were increasingly disheveled and leaded-footed and a final trio of scores from Loughrey, Cunningham and McMahon only compounded their misery.
Full time: Naomh Pol 1-5 Naomh Brid 2-18
J Mackle, J McKeever, F Sherry (M Donnelly), M Rooney, B McMahon (0-2), D O’Hagan, B Reilly (B Synott), D Edwards, J McGuckian (0-1), M Sweeney, J Loughrey (0-2), D MacAuley (0-2), R O’Neill, J Brolly (0-7) (C McGrady (0-1)), N Cunningham (2-3)
Man of the match: N Cunningham
