The Seniors bowed out of The Intermediate Championship on Saturday night with their and the club’s reputation enhanced. Most neutrals described the game as the most entertaining championship football they had seen at Casement at any level in a long time.
St Brigids started with all guns blazing and were 0-2 to 0-0 up after three minutes, courtesy of Joe Brolly. There followed a series of four wides however including a couple of kickable frees before McDermotts found their kicking boots, and find them they did. Four well-taken points from play gave them a lead that lasted only a few short minutes before Duncan MacAuley and a Brolley free restored parity.
And so began a ding dong battle that lasted until three minutes from full time with no more than two points between the sides. Significantly though, the Division 2 pace setters were not to be fronted again throughout the match.
Joe McKeever and Frank O’Neill were finding the two man forward line a real handful, while after early dominance in the middle through Fearghal Toner and James Loughrey, The MacDs men began winning more and more break ball. That said each score from the favourites was matched with an equaliser from the Division 3 leaders with McDermotts just reaching the interval with their noses in front. While Brolley did the scoring the hard graft and provision of possession was led by Niall and Paddy McDonald, with Conor Taylor showing some outstanding form.
Half Time: St Brigids 0 – 7
McDermotts 0 – 8
Within 40 seconds of the restart MacAuley had levelled the game only for The Falls Road men to respond with yet another well-taken point from play.
8 all, 9 all, 10 all. Each time McDermotts pulled ahead St Brigids responded and each time St Brigids equalised McDermotts countered with a score of their own.
Eventually McDermotts opened up a two point gap and each score from The Malone Road men to reduce the margin to the minimum was now met with a response of doubling the lead. Along with Brolley, Conor Taylor grabbed a couple of fine points.
Paul Finnegan and Ruari O’Neill were introduced to good effect but the pattern of the game remained the same.
With 30 minutes approaching McDermotts stretched their lead to three and it was evident St Brigids would need a major score for victory. Despite several chances during injury time, there was no way through and it was McDermotts who had the last word with a late free.
Full Time: St Brigids 0 – 13
McDermotts 0 – 17
The final margin of victory was somewhat flattering though their win was deserved. The real difference was St Brigids lack of experience against teams of the quality of McDemotts. Thus the aim must be to ensure promotion and prepare for the 2006 Intermediate Championship in Division 2.
While disappointed, the team can take heart from this performance but must also examine their consciences and each individual decide if he is willing to give what it takes to win a cup at this level, a level that is after all only a stepping stone on the way to where the club is headed.
A word of thanks should also go to the large number of supporters who turned out including the entire Ladies squad and management despite their own disappointment earlier in the evening.
Team:
John Mackle, Joe McKeever, Richard Smyth, Frank O’Neill, Paul O’Hara, Eunan Conway, Paul McCrudden, Fearghal Toner, James Loughrey, Conor Taylor(0-2), Conor Mullan, Duncan MacAuley(0-2), Joe Brolley (0-9, 5 frees), Paddy McDonald, Niall McDonald.
Substitutes used:
Paul Finnegan, Ruari O’Neill, Malachy O’Kane, Aidan Owens.
