Last Friday evening, 8 August Naomh Brid had the daunting task of facing one of the favourites for the championship in Erin’s Own Cargin at Corrigan Park.
The first five minutes saw the countrymen take the lead with three quick scores from play and with the lively Ciaran Close finding space and three attacks the favourites looked to be coasting. The Naomh Brid boys were a little slow to settle however, when Dara Edwards converted from play and after a good run from Sweeney the resultant foul was tapped over by Brolly, the game was wide open. Then Niall Cunningham added another free and was on hand to place the first penalty of the game past Boyle in the Cargin nets. This put the Malone Road men in the front by one point for the only time in the match.
Cargin then launched a high, hopeful ball into the square and the lunge by the St Brigid’s defender made the decision to award a penalty an obvious one. With Michael McCann hitting the net the Loughshore men found their composure again and the teams exchanged points in the last ten minutes of the first half, with Edwards and Brolly each knocking over points from play.
The half time score of 1:8 to 1:5 meant the underdogs were still in touch.
Cargin scored first after the break and tagged on a further three points to pull away. However, St Brigid’s hit a purple patch that saw Cunningham and Sweeney lead the charge and the margin was down to three points with the faintest glimmer that an upset was on the cards. But it wasn’t to be and Thomas McCann, who kicked two 45’s, Ciaran Close and Shane Devlin were able to close the game out for Erin’s Own.
Team John Mackle, Paul O’Hara, Richard Smyth, Benny Reilly, Barry McMahon, Aidan Christie Deaghlan O’Hagan, John McGuckian and Micky Donnelly,Duncan McAuley Aidan Cole, Mark Sweeney,Dara Edwards Joe Brolly and Niall Cunningham.
Subs used: Michael Malone, Cormac McGrady and Mel MacSherry
This was a much improved performance from the Malone Road boys and there were excellent displays from O’Hara, Smyth and Christie in defence, with Sweeney, Edwards and Cunningham to the fore in the attack. Considerable progress has been made this year but the emphasis must be on the league and ensuring the seniors retain Division one status and the Div 5 side pushing for promotion.
