Naomh Brid were relieved to see off the challenge from a plucky Aghagallon side by a single point at a wet Musgrave on Wednesday evening. With the evenly contested match level going into injury time, Cunningham stepped up to the mark to convert a pressure free, so securing the points and providing a welcome morale boost.
Peter McStravick’s team may be facing the drop, anchored on bottom spot, but they are not going down without a fight as they firmly tested the credentials of yet another makeshift home side in the holiday season. The opening period was evenly contested as both sides struggled to master the greasy surface and ball under a persistent heavy drizzle. With the sides level on two points apiece after 12 minutes Aghagallon hit a purple patch and hit four unanswered and impressive points from play in the space of five minutes to put it up to their hosts. Loughrey flashed a shot at goal just wide after a mazy run before Ronan McGrady swapped points with his opposite number. It was a nervy and tentative Naomh Brid that went into the interval slightly encouraged by securing the final two scores of the half from a Cunningham free after Ronan McGrady was fouled and an O’Neill point teed up by Smyth.
Half time: Naomh Brid 0-5 Aghagallon 0-7
As the rain continued to tumble Naomh Brid had their best 10 minutes of the match as they stirred visibly into action. Loughrey and O’Neill combined well to set up Cormac McGrady for a score and within two minutes of the resumption Loughrey had equalised from a pass by Malone. Cunningham’s converted free won by O’Neill established the lead and while Aghagallon levelled, Cormac McGrady and the marauding MacAuley each pointed to leave two between the sides on the 40 minute mark. The visitors pulled it back to the minimum but with seven minutes remaining scores from Cormac McGrady (2) and Ward looked to have made the game safe. But just as in the away fixture Aghagallon to their credit gave a stirring finish and, aided by a couple of perplexing refereeing decisions, slung over four defiant points in the twilight to draw level again. Possession was vital for the last throw of the dice and Naomh Brid came up trumps, winning the 30-metre free, which Cunningham delivered expertly high over the black spot.
Full time: Naomh Brid 0-14 Aghagallon 0-13
Team: W McSorley, D MacAuley (0-1), R Daly, A Sweeney, F Sherry, B McMahon, P Lundy, R Smyth, M Malone, R McGrady (0-2), R O’Neill (0-1), J Loughrey (0-1), M Ward (0-2), N Cunningham (0-3), C McGrady (0-4)
Note: I cannot recall the last match in which each of our starting six forwards got on the score sheet, so that must be a positive. Well done to our younger players Andy Sweeney, Peter Lundy, Ronan McGrady, Tim McCrudden, and Gerry Bogue for stepping up to the mark at senior level. Well done, too, to our man from the Kingdom, Diarmuid O’Carroll, on making his senior debut. Fine prospects all.
