There was disappointment for Naomh Brid at Musgrave Park on Sunday as they went down by a single point to St John’s in a bruising league encounter. The home side were left licking their wounds in more sense than one as they lost three players to injury. Try as they might Naomh Brid could not find an equalizer as they poured forward late on, and they were left to rue goals conceded in the opening periods of each half which would prove their undoing.
Buoyed by their win over the All Ireland club winners St Gall’s in round 1, the Corrigan Park men did not waste any time in getting started, setting the tone with a brilliant point from a sideline kick. A converted 13 metre free followed and on five minutes they carved open the home defence with alarming ease, smashing a goal to the roof of the net. Sweeney set up Brolly to open the home account on seven minutes and O’Neill added a second after Smyth fielded well. But St John’s carried a physical and aerial presence through the centre, ensuring a steady supply of ball to their lively corner forwards who had the home full back line at sixes and sevens. Two points restored the lead to five after 15 minutes but the rest of the half belonged in the main to Naomh Brid who staged a spirited comeback. O’Neill, Loughrey and O’Hagan battled bravely in succession for hard won frees, which Cunningham converted in an afternoon of impeccable free-taking. Edwards, who had a fine match on the 40 before loss to injury, added two rasping points, one on the stroke of half time to send the sides in level at the interval.
Half time: Naomh Brid 0-7 Naomh Eoin 1-4
Despite a couple of early wides, St John’s hit a purple patch on the re-start with a point quickly followed by a replica breakaway goal of the first half after a home attack broke down. Naomh Brid were now playing catch-up for the second time and the Milltown men were in no mood to let their lead slip again. As with the previous week, the entire subs bench was emptied in a hurry as positional switches were made and fresh legs replaced the walking wounded. The new faces made an immediate impact as Loughrey set up sub McCann for a point and Sherry fed Taylor for another. But each score was countered in kind as St John’s kept the gap at four with 10 minutes left. Naomh Brid showed character and Loughrey led by example with a 60 metre solo run, winning a free converted by Cunningham. The county star fielded cleanly from the kickout and once more earned a tap-over for Cunningham. With just two points the margin, McCann plumped for a goal when the point was on offer and the chance went a-begging. But Cunningham, this time from play, closed the game to a single point. With time ticking on, efforts from Loughrey and O’Neill agonizingly found the keeper’s hands, and almost inevitably St John’s punished with a breakaway score. The brave Sweeney, who was in the wars throughout, won a free converted by Cunningham in injury time, but the Malone men could not find an equalizer in a desperate last few minutes as they piled forward in vain.
Full time: Naomh Brid 0-13 Naomh Eoin 2-8
Team: J Mackle, B Reilly (B Synnot), A Christie, M Rooney, B McDonnell (D MacAuley), D O’Hagan, B McMahon, R Smyth, J McGuckian ( C Taylor (0-1)), M Sweeney. D Edwards (0-2) (F Sherry), R O’Neill (0-1), J Brolly (0-1) (CMcCann (0-1)), N Cunningham (0-7), J Loughrey
The club’s best wishes go to Joe Brolly who sustained an unfortunate injury in the first half. We wish him a full and speedy recovery.
