Tuesday evening after the senior football match saw a challenge match between Naomh Brid hurlers and Bredagh Second team. The teams were well matched and all agreed it was a beautiful evening for a game.
Both teams started off brightly and after a number of wides, Naomh Brid were the first to register a point. After a number of exchanges, Adam McIlhatton stole a march on his marker to put a rebound into the back of the net. This was then followed up by our own Stevie O’Neill (well at least Ogie is from the same County) who turned one way, then the next, and sent a low shot under the gasping reaches of match commentator and part-time goalkeeper, Mark Sidebottom. At half time the score stood at 2:5 to 3 points in favour of Naomh Brid.
A rallying halftime team talk from outstanding centre back Paul McCrudden saw Naomh Brid under the kosh for most of the second half. This may have been due to McCrudden’s team talk or perhaps the referring decisions in the second half, which appeared to favour the visiting team but I prefer to think it was due to the inspired substitution Bredagh manager, Cork man Ciaran White made at half time when he took himself off. Apparently he was playing in the corner but I can’t tell if it was in the forwards or the backs as I was too busy being distracted by the continuous talking back by Mr White junior, the manager’s son who was being given a lesson or two by Naomh Brid midfield dynamo, 41-year-old Gabriel McIlhatton.
In any event, Bredagh pushed on and scored two goals, the second goal worthy of an All-Ireland final as a sideline ball from the left hand side and doubled on superbly by one of the Bredagh forwards. However all goods things must come to an end and as the sun had set and 32 minutes had been played, the referee could do no more to assist the young and not so young Bredagh hurlers, so time was inevitably called. After shaking hands all the players returned to the clubhouse, where they had a good old knees up and discussed ways in which the two clubs could amalgamate. Final score Naomh Brid 2:10, Bredagh 2:06.
PS – This win was sweet revenge for the under 10 match earlier in the evening when Naomh Brid hurlers were beaten by 2 points by Bredagh Under 10s.
Editor’s Note
Isn’t it just great to see hurling being played in South Belfast at Musgrave Park on a balmy June evening? It was just beautiful.
