Intermediate Football Championship (Qtr Final)
St Brigid’s 1-13 St Enda’s 1-11
St Brigid’s claimed a place in the semi finals of the Intermediate championship when they passed the winning line with a two point advantage over St Enda’s on the pristine Hannahstown sod on Saturday evening last but the South Belfast side came close to a dramatic exit.
In fact St Brigid’s looked home and hosed when after holding sway for much of the opening period they took the respite afforded by the short blast holding a 0-07 to 0-03 lead, and they seemed to put the issue beyond all reasonable doubt when they dashed out of the blocks for the second period so convincingly that they had increased their advantage to 1-11 to 0-03 by the 41st minute.
St Enda’s having secured promotion to the top grade earlier in the week seemed to have settled for that as they looked at an eleven point deficit nearing the end of the third quarter, but the Hightown men woke from their slumber as they produced a startling comeback that took them mighty close to revival.
St Brigid’s, who had scored a dramatic last gasp win over Tir na Nog in the opening round were away first with a Peter Webb point less than a minute into proceedings.
Out in front the city men looked composed and at ease and they increased advantage in the 4th minute as John Blayney seized on a poor clearance to return the ball firmly between the posts. The wing half forward, son of former Down great Greg Blayney, impressed throughout and looks very much cast in a similar mode to his father.
St Brigid’s looked composed as they played some excellent football, but the Glengormley men were less so as they struggled to settle into any sort of patternand things got worse for the Hightown outfiet when Ronan O’ Grady nipped in from the left to added another St Brigid’s point. St Enda’s really needed a score settle them but they were forced to make a change in the 12th minute as corner forward Donal Walsh received a black card with minor start Ethan Gibson entering as replacement.
St Enda’s were off the mark shortly afterwards as the elegant Odhran Eastwood raised a white flag and when be combined with the replacement Ethan White to add another the Hightown men looked up and running.
Jack Dowling added a similar score at the other end within a minute but Eastwood increased the tally to three when he stroked a free kick between the posts again in the 20th minute and it looked game on with St Brigid’s just a point ahead at 0-04 to 0-03.
Having their early lead reduced appeared to spur St Brigid’s and they upped the tempo as Ben Leonard and Jack Dowling added points apiece, and when John Blayney strode onto the edge of the square in the 28th minute a goal looked likely but the wing half forward calmly sent over the bar to see his side at 0-07 to 0-03 at the end of the opening half.
The second period saw the St Brigid’s men continue as they had concluded the opening thirty minutes and laying siege to the St Enda’s posts they further increased advantage by three as John Dowling, James Smith and Jack Dowling all added point apiece by the 35th minute.
The St Enda’s cause was beginning to look forlorn and indeed all but lost in the next phase as James Smith rose highest to punch an Enda Clarke lofted delivery to the back of the net and when John Blayney followed with a 42nd minute point only the eternal optimist within the ranks of those in black and amber would have contemplated a likely come-back.
The St Brigid’s men looked to be on their way to the semis but as it turned out their passage would not prove as smooth as predicted as the Glengormley men were to stage a dramatic revival.
A 44th minute Kristian Healey point signalled the revival and when Conor Lyttle nicked a point and impressive centre back James Mc Auley went forward at pace to claim a smash and grab goal the deficit was reduced by five. St Brigid’s were under pressure and indeed under siege as the Glengormley men smelt blood and after an Oran Eastwood point further reduced the deficit Ronan Mc Grady’s 50th minute reply in kind looked to settle them.
St Enda’s were not to be halted in their positive tracks however and gaining in composure they claimd dominance in the central zone where Niall Mc Keown was working like a demon to feed his forwards with dangerous ball. The ever accurate Odhran Eastwood raised another white flag, Niall Mc Keever raced through to add another and when Eastwood struck again and Scott tagged on two, only a point separated the sides at the 56th minute.
St Brigid’s having been in the calm waters of security a short time earlier now looked to be battling against the elements as the St Enda’s men drove onward seeking a semi berth which suddenly looked in reach.
It was backs to the wall time for the beleaguered St Brigid’s side and seemingly up against it as the St Enda’s men controlled possession.
As the clock ticked towards and beyond the allotted sixty minutes with St Enda’s needing a score to force extra time, but the men from Musgrave Park St stood firm. St Enda’s did get their opportunity when a foul on the advancing James Mc Auley gave them a 60 metre free and the chance to bring the game to extra time. However as the well struck free was gathered by Clarke rose highest to claim the leather. The big man came out to clear his lines and send his clearance long to start a counter-attack which the set late replacement Kevin Gallagher away, and when he delivered straight and true and over the bar the issue was resolved.
The long blast brought relief to St Brigid’s, and indeed a place in the semi final stage of the Intermediate championship and a late September date with either All Saint’s or Glenravel who meet on Monday evening.
St Brigid’s
Stephen Morrissey, Finn Mc Kernan, Michael Cummings, Andy Sweeney, Patrick Finnegan, Ben Sinnot, Conor King, Enda Clarke, Cathal Conway, John Blayney (0-03), Ben Leonard, James Smith (1-01), Peter Webb (0-01), Jack Dowling (0-02), Ronan Mc Grady (0-03)
Subs
Kevin Gallagher (0-01) for J Blayney
Peter Lundy for P Webb
Conor O’ Doherty for J Dowling
Paddy Flodd, Michael Mc Namee, Damien Gault, Killian Jennings, Ryan Kennedy, James Mc Auley (1-00), Philly Curran, Niall Mc Keown (0-01), Ciaran Thompson, Odhran Eastwood (0-06), Kristian Healey (0-01), Ruairi Scott (0-02), Gerard Crossey, Donal Walsh
Subs
Ethan Gibson for D Walsh (black card)
Diarmuid Mc Nulty for K Jennings
Conor Scott for Philly Curran
Philly Curran for O Eastwood
Pics by Bert Trowlen for the Saffron Gae