Naomh Brid were in rampant form at Musgrave on Wednesday evening as they outclassed a hapless Moneyglass by 12 points. The emphatic win was a timely boost in advance of the three-week league break before Antrim’s Ulster Senior Championship clash with Tyrone.
Moneyglass arrived confident after their local derby win over Cargin at the weekend, but the Malone side had something to prove following their double defeat to the south west men last season, and they were intent on paying back their dues with interest. For some time Naomh Brid had been fashioning wins with lean pickings from midfield. But with more than an even yield from that sector, there was always a strong prospect that they could really turn the screw, and this match would provide an insight.
Naomh Brid began in a whirlwind as a trio from Cunningham and a McCann point rewarded fine midfield possession. That was just the taster as Moneyglass were left shell-shocked on 10 minutes when McCann finished close home after Sweeney’s approach work. Two minutes later Reilly broke up an attack to send away O’Neill, who combined expertly with Loughrey for the county man to ram home the second goal of the evening. Moneyglass eventually gave their impressive support some cheer with two points to get off the mark. However, these were simple tokens as Naomh Brid continued to pour forward with O’Hagan, Rooney and Sweeney giving excellent support to Sherry and Smyth who were grafting well in the centre. The movement up front was sharp and creative too with O’Neill and McCann posing problems in a lively full forward line. O’Hagan and Taylor set up Loughrey and Sherry for fine scores to restore the double figures lead. Moneyglass did add two to their meagre balance but they were cancelled by responses from McCann and Cunningham.
Half time: Naomh Brid 2-8 Moneyglass 0-4
If there was any lingering doubt about where the points were heading at the interval, there was none within the opening minutes of the resumption as the blitzkrieg continued unabated, secured by a midfield stranglehold. Sweeney and Rooney set up McCann for a score, then O’Hagan sallied forth and took a pass from Loughrey for a good point. The lively O’Neill reaped two fine points in a minute from good approach play by Sweeney, Sherry and McCann. Indeed, it was proving difficult to keep pace with the array of scores as the statsman’s pencil was worked to a stub, and there yet was more misery for Moneyglass on 38 minutes when the excellent Sweeney crashed home a third goal from Cunningham’s pass to open up an unbridgeable gap between the sides.
Not surprisingly the subs bench was emptied to give everyone a run-out. Moneyglass, who to their credit never gave up, took advantage as the home side eased up, bagging three goals in a profitable 12 minute spell that did no more than put respectability on the scoreboard. In between times, Rooney set up Loughrey, who unselfishly squared to McCann for his second goal of the day. The home scores continued to flow as Sweeney and McCann each swung over two points and Cunningham signed off on five with any remaining interest in the game purely academic. Moneyglass added two points but rookie corner back Ciaran Mackle had the final say with a confident strike.
Full time: Naomh Brid 4-18 Moneyglass 3-9
Team: J Mackle, B Reilly (C Mackle), A Christie, M Rooney, D McAuley (B Synott), D O’Hagan (0-2), B McMahon (J McKeever), F Sherry, R Smyth, M Sweeney (1-2), J Loughrey (1-1), C Taylor (J McGuckian), R O’Neill (0-2) (A Morrow), N Cunningham (0-5), C McCann (2-6)
Man of the match: M Sweeney
