Antrim Intermediate Football Championship (Semi-final)
St Brigid’s 4-09 All Saint’s Ballymena 0-11
‘Goals wins prizes’ is an old adage and in this instance it certainly applied, as St Brigid’s hit four to claim a place in the final of the Intermediate championship with a good win over All Saint’s Ballymena at Corrigan on Saturday afternoon.
John Blayney who is following in the footsteps of his famous Dad, Greg who wore the red and black of Down to All Ireland success, bagged the first just a couple of minutes into the second quarter.
The wing half forward’s sweet strike after a precision based approach proved the difference between the sides at the break and allowed the city side a 1-05 to 0-06 lead at the short whistle.
All Saint’s had taken full advantage of the diagonal breeze which favoured them in the opening period to earn an early three point lead.
Connell Lennon got All Saint’s away with a point just a minute into proceedings and Michael Mc Carry added another a couple of minutes later.
The Ballymena men came close to nicking an early goal and only a last second intervention and the outstretched fingers of St Brigid’s keeper Stephen Morrissey denied Paddy McAleer after Sean McVeigh launched the leather into the danger area.
The South West side certainly started in confidence and as the clock reached eight minutes a Sean Mc Veigh fetch opened the way for Michael McCarry to fire between the posts and see his side move 0-03 to 0-00 clear.
Having started slowly St Brigid’s were soon into their stride where high fielding Enda Clarke was coming into his own and a foul on James Smith opened the way for Ronan Mc Grady to open their account when he despatched the resultant free directly over the bar into the stiff breeze from the right side of the ground in the 11th minute.
Peter Webb collected a poor clearance to add a second point to the St Brigid’s total shortly afterwards and they were on par a minute later as Ronan McGrady judged the diagonal breeze to perfection as he delivered another placed effort between the posts.
The quick starting All Saints men had been reeled back in and shortly to be passed as a slick approach and interchange which involved Enda Clarke and Andy Sweeney opened the way for the opening goal as young John Blayney, drilled the leather to the corner of the net.
All Saint’s replied as a couple of Michael Mc Carry strikes yielded points apiece to reduce the deficit to the minimum, but back came the city side for Cathal Conway and Ruairi Finnegan to follow suit.
The end of the opening period approached and a fine Ciaran McGarry point saw the Ballymena men back within a couple of points but an injury to their mid-field general Sean McVeigh, who had been most prominent in the black and white certainly up set their progress.
The short blast followed shortly afterwards with St Brigid’s taking respite with a 1-05 to 0-06 advantage.
All Saint’s were to emerge for the second half without McVeigh as Ciaran Shannon entered as replacement with St Brigid’s in turn introducing Ruairi O’ Neill for John Toner.
All Saints were again quick into stride and as Joe Rafferty moved forward to raise white a couple of minutes into the new half when the ever accurate Michael McCarry added another they were back on terms and seemed revitalised.
St Brigid’s may well have dallied in the early stages but not to linger for long as replacement Ruairi O’ Neill led the charge.
The flame haired replacement struck in the 40th minute as he nipped in to ‘rob’ Peter Mc Nicholl before planting the leather in the back of the net, and when John Blayney gathered the resultant kick out he was quick to find the unmarked Jack Dowling stationed on the edge of the square to supply another.
The tide had turned again in favour of St Brigid’s and a six point lead secured in the 42nd minute.
The Slemish Park side were rattled and required scores quickly if they were to get back into this one and such opportunity duly arrived as Paddy Mc Aleer was hauled down inside the square with a penalty the quick decision from match official Colin McDonald who had an excellent hour in charge.
Emmet Killough stepped up to take the kick but the St. Brigid’s net-minder Stephen Morrissey was equal to the task as he claimed what was a less then convincing delivery.
Michael McCarry gained some consolation for the missed penalty as he added a 55th minute point after another foul on the hard grafting Paddy Mc Aleer but when a cute flick at the other end by replacement Ruairi O’ Neill sent John Blayney on his merry way to plant the leather into the corner of the net again to claim his second ‘major’ the end was in sight.
The end result predictable but the last minutes continued in some drama with some periods of ‘handbag actions’ dealt with quietly and most competently by the referee with St Brigid’s posting a trio of late scores as Ben Leonard and Ronan Mc Grady (2) raising further white flags in answer to an eye catching reply delivered by All Saint’s youngster Kavan Keenan.
An extended period of ‘injury time’ of six minutes added following a head injury endured by St Brigid’s central defender Ben Sinott had no impact on the final result with a 4-09 to 0-11 scoreline booking the St Brigid’s men a place in the Intermediate final where they will face the challenge of either Moneyglass or Dunloy
St Brigid’s: Stephen Morrissey, Andy Sweeney, Conor King, Finn McKernan, Michael Cummings, Ben Sinott, John Toner, Enda Clarke, Cathal Conway (0-01), James Smith, Ruairi Finnegan (0-01), John Blayney (2-00), Peter Webb (0-01), Ronan McGrady (0-05), Jack Dowling (1-00) Subs: Ruairi O’ Neill (1-00) for J Toner, Conor O’ Doherty for J Toner, Ben Leonard (0-01) for B Sinott, Ethan Carleton for P Webb (black card)
All Saint’s: Emmett McAllister, James Gillan, Peter McNicholl, Rhys O’ Mullan, Ciaran McGarry (0-01), Andy Kelly, Joe Rafferty (0-01), Sean McVeigh, Emmett Killough, Cavan Keenan (0-01), Michael McCarry (0-07), Eoin Campbell, Conal Lennon (0-01), Paddy McAleer, Dermot Gillan. Subs: Ciaran Shannon for S McVeigh (inj), Ciaran McLarnon for J Rafferty,
Referee Colin McDonald (St Gall’s)
