The playing conditions were close to perfect at St Ergnats, Moneyglass as St Brigid’s GAC Senior Men arrived for the penultimate league game of the 2013 season – a must win game if the team were to have any chance of Division 1 survival.
The atmosphere was more like that of a championship fixture with both teams needing a result to avoid the drop and the importance of the game was reflected in the large home support. To come away from Moneyglass with 2 points would require serious effort, determination and fight, and that little bit of skill.
And that’s exactly what the St Brigid’s lads delivered.
From the throw in, right to the final whistle, the team battled for every ball, every kick out and every tackle, finishing the game deserved 1-14 to 0-12 winners.
The start of the game both teams traded points, with the score at 2-2 after 10 minutes. The seriousness of the game was reflected in some nervous handling by both sides with the home team pushing ahead by 4-3 after 15 minutes. St Brigid’s then drew level with some inspired kicking from Cormac McGrady and slowly began to step up the pace, and a fine goal by Mick Malone giving St Brigid’s a deserved edge going into half time.
HT Score 0-5 to 1-7.
The second half began with the teams trading points and penetrating attacks from the home team required some resolute defending from Joe McKeever, Micky Donnelly, Ben Sinnott , Ryan Daly, Kevin Gallagher and Damian Fitzpatrick. On more than one occasion Willie McSorley was called on to make some excellent saves, which kept the gap between the two teams.
The strong midfield of Jack Dowling and Deaghlan O’Hagan was well supported by Duncan McAuley, Andrew Sweeny, Cormac Mc Grady, Mick Malone, Micky Ward and Fergal Sherry.
Moneyglass did reduce the deficit to 4 points half way through the second half but some excellent foraging up front by Mickey Ward and Cormac McGrady saw St Brigid’s hold their lead with McGrady notching up 3 points in a row which saw the game close out at 1-14 to 0-12.
The character of the team, the level of intensity and determination was evident from the start – from 1 through to 15 and those who came on throughout the game as well as those who remained on the line. Ciaran Mackle, Andrew Duffy, Peter Mooney and Ronan McGrady made serious contributions when asked in the second half. This was a great team effort with some notable individual performances but the star man was Cormac McGrady, absent through injury for most of the summer, but who more than made up for it last night with some excellent scores.
The result will count for little if that energy, passion and desire isn’t carried through the next training sessions and into those games which lie ahead, most notably the final league game of the season against Rossa.
In between now and the Rossa game, there is the small matter of Creggan in the County Championship.
These are two very important games for the team and the club.
It goes without saying – your support would be appreciated. NBA
