Investment pays off
Those involved with youth development in CLG Naomh Brid can be even more proud of their efforts after yesterday’s Division 5 game in Aghagallon.
The minor trio of Walsh, Quinn and MacSherry were simply the difference between the two teams. Richard Walsh was maturity personified with a confident performance at full back that belied his years. Chris Quinn was excellent in his work rate and link play that contributed 1-1 from play. Mel MacSherry was sublime in a man of the match performance that yielded 7 points of which four were from excellently struck fee kicks.
The seventeen St Brigid’s men present all acquitted themselves well in what has seen this team record its first ever hat trick of victories.
In excellent conditions at a fine St Mary’s complex at Aghagallon Naomh Brid opted to play against the elements in the first half which was also away from the pavilion.
The St Brigid’s men put in great effort in the first half which finished 1-5 to 0-4 in favour of the blue and gold’s.
Mel Mach Sherry opened the vistors’account with a well taken free on five minutes that cancelled out Aghagallon’s opener on 3 minutes. Another pointed free from MacSherry got Naomh Brid the lead, which was never relinquished.
Brendan Sinnott, Paul McCrudden and Anthony McVeigh held the line well in the halfbacks for N Brid whilst John McKeever cleaned up a lot of break ball in the full back line. McKeever is now the Malone Hoover! Richard Walsh did well under the high ball and Niall Corrigan dealt with everything falling in the corner.
Conall Mullary and Brian Loughran got a stronger grip of the middle as the move of the match saw the ball move the full length of the pitch for MacSherry to score from play.
However perhaps the most important score of the game was when Chris Quinn skipped through the defence to score an excellent goal. In a replica move Quinn broke free again and another goal looked on the cards as he popped the ball over for another minor. Paddy Taylor was winning breaks on the edge of the square and Michael McLaughlin foraged well on the wing. Mark Kelly added a fine point from play to keep the momentum with the visitors.
But for St Mary’s wayward shooting they may have more to show than their three further points at
the break.
Half Time Aghagallon 0-4 Naomh Brid 1-5
At the start of the second half the visitors rested on their laurels and with the second attack let the home team back in the game by allowing the centre half forward to score with his LEFT (“that’s all he has”) and all of a sudden the game was on. McCrudden was now operating at full forward and the middle of the defence became vulnerable.
With the lead down to a minimum McCrudden added a point before MacSherry added a peach from play followed by two from St Mary’s.
Then came the moment of the match. Anthony McVeigh placed a superb ball from halfback right on the sternum of the goalkeeper. The force of the ball immobilised the keepers arms, the ball rose to 8 foot in the air, whereupon the goalkeeper got confused, turned to the umpire as if the query “where is the ball?” as the ball fell on his head and went into the goal. Brilliant Anthony!!!
Now a little aside. Joe Brolly once described his teammate Geoffrey McGonigle as having an arse like a bag of cement. Well thank god they now make half-bag, bags of cement( you know the one’s I mean). Anthony, three-quarters springs to mind!
Anyway this should have meant game over but back came home team to close the gap to a minimum before Paul McCrudden sealed the game with a well take goal.
Another MacSherry score from play and two pointed frees from the same “man of the match” saw a final score of 3-10 to 1-8.
Oh I forgot Eunan was refereeing and awarded a square ball against the home team about 3 minu
