Naomh Brid left Milltown somewhat shell-shocked on Wednesday evening following a demolition job by a St Gall’s side that is clearly now in championship mode. The near full-strength Gall’s produced a shock-and-awe display with midfield powerhouse Aodhan Gallagher the conductor-in-chief as he virtually ran the show.
The alarm bells were ringing for an under-strength Naomh Brid as early as the opening minute as successive unforced errors conceded possession and only a combination of sheer luck and two superb point blank saves by Mackle denied St Gall’s certain goals. Naomh Brid actually took the lead on two minutes when Cunningham punished a foul on Loughrey. But they would add just two more points over the entire hour. Despite St Gall’s stranglehold at midfield their domination in the first quarter yielded just four points with Loughrey replying with a good score from a rare counter-attack. But just as in the earlier league encounter at Musgrave Park St Gall’s inflicted lethal damage in the 10 minutes before half time. They were playing with such superior movement, tempo and power that serious scoring dividends were inevitable. The McGourty brothers and Kevin Niblock were a constant threat as they fired the attack in a devastating spell that reaped two goals and four points without reply.
Half time: St Gall’s 2-8 Naomh Brid 0-2
Naomh Brid gained some early possession after the interval but could ill afford two quick wides before the old order of the first half was quickly re-established. St Gall’s were playing with a swagger and confidence that comes with an unassailable lead while the Malone boys toiled in their wake. Eunan Conway shuffled his limited resources to limit the damage and at least no more goals were conceded. But St Gall’s near monopoly on possession, gratis county star Gallagher in particular, yielded another half a dozen points amongst 11 wides in the half alone. Substitute MacAuley provided the solitary reply. Naomh Brid will look to re-group quickly for next weekend’s championship quarter final against Dunloy in which lessons learned at Milltown may yet stand them in good stead. In the meantime Eunan will anxiously await any thinning out of the treatment room.
Full time: St Gall’s 2-14 Naomh Brid 0-3
Team: J Mackle, J McKeever (P Finnegan), A Christie, B Reilly (C Mooney), M Rooney, B McMahon, D O’Hagan, M Donnelly, F Sherry, C McGrady (D MacAuley 0-1), J Loughrey (0-1), C Taylor, R O’Neill, N Cunningham (0-1), A Cole
