All County Football League Division One
Naomh Éanna 0-4 St Brigids 1-7
Friday May 31
By Brendan McTaggart
St Brigid’s recorded their third win of the season on Friday night with a comfortable and controlled win over Naomh Éanna. Six points separated the sides at the end of the hour but in truth the score line flattered the home side. St Brigid’s dominated the game and after an early goal from Jack Dowling, the Musgrave Park side played the match on their terms.
Playing with the aid of the elements in the first half, St Brigid’s hemmed Naomh Éanna in their own half for long periods. Indeed it was the 28th minute before the home side recorded their first score, captain James McAuley with his first of two over the hour but St Brigid’s held a six point lead at the interval allowing them to control the game after the restart and keeping Naomh Éanna at arm’s length.
After a two week county break, St Brigid’s showed no signs of cobwebs or rustiness, firing over the opening score after just 17 seconds. Peter Webb escaping the clutches of the Naomh Éanna defence before splitting the uprights for the visitors to the Hightown Road. Rory Brolly doubled the St Brigid’s lead two minutes later as they continued their bright start to the game.
St Brigid’s were pushing up on Gerard Crossey’s kick outs and putting Naomh Éanna under pressure from the restarts. The home side were struggling for an outlet to relieve their defence of the high pressure they were under with St Brigid’s dominating the aerial contests and were virtually first to every breaking ball.
A long range point from Jack Dowling gave St Brigid’s a deserving three point lead after just seven minutes and with Naomh Éanna struggling, they scored the only goal of the game with the next attack. Playing Dowling on the edge of the square when they could, St Brigid’s looked to hit direct high ball to make use of his aerial ability. Cathal Conway landed the perfect ball and Dowling outjumped the Naomh Éanna defence to punch the ball to the back of the net, giving St Brigid’s a six point lead.
Naomh Éanna had a rare foray into the St Brigid’s half with James McAuley firing over their first shot at goal only for his effort to clip the crossbar and bounce to safety with Stephen Maguinness caught no his line but it was a brief respite for the home sides defence as St Brigid’s continued their assault. James Smith (free) and Brolly opened an eight point lead with ten minutes of the half remaining and the Musgrave Park side were starting to play some lovely football. Direct and quick ball into their forwards was paying off and but for some uncharacteristic wides, they should have been further ahead before McAuley finally opened Naomh Éanna’s account for the match in the 28th minute. Firing over from wide on the right before repeating the trick in first half stoppage time to give the home side a glimmer of hope for the second half but St Brigid’s held a 1-5 to 0-2 lead at the short whistle.
McAuley’s two late points in the first half gave Naomh Éanna a lifeline. Six points with the wind was certainly not unassailable but St Brigid’s were tactically astute after the restart. They dropped back, suffocating the Naomh Éanna attack of time and space while winning the lions share of ball in midfield. Naomh Éanna rotated between Ethan Gibson and Niall McKeown for a target man on the edge of the square but the St Brigid’s defence were a match for any angle of attack that came their way.
Rory Brolly added his third point of the match to open the scoring in the second half before the home side had a glimmer of a goal chance moments later. Ciaran O’Neill delivering a high ball towards McKeown but his punched effort went to the wrong side of the posts. A turning moment in the game. Where St Brigid’s took their only goal chance in the first half with the same line of attack, Naomh Éanna didn’t capitalise and while there was still plenty of time in the game remaining, they already looked like they were going to need a goal to get into the game again.
Ruairi Scott reduced the St Brigid’s lead to six points in the 48th minute, splitting the posts from placed ball before substitute Stiofan Úi Flionn breathed fresh impetus into the Naomh Éanna challenge as they began to sense a comeback was on the cards with 10 minutes remaining. That was their last score of the game however and while Smith’s second free of the contest was all St Brigid’s could muster in the closing stages themselves, they controlled the game by dominating possession and keeping Naomh Éanna at arms length.
A comfortable six point win for St Brigid’s who welcome Lámh Dhearg to Musgrave Park on Sunday week while Naomh Éanna travel to Creggan on the same day.
TEAMS
Naomh Éanna: Gerard Crossey; Kevin Hillen, Mick McNamee, Ciara Thompson; Padraig Hamilton, Conan Lyttle, Conor McAuley; Ethan Gibson, Niall McKeown; Michael Morgan, James McAuley, Ciaran O’Neill; Philly Curran, Ruairi Scott, Ronan O’Neill.
Subs: Stiofan Úi Flionn for R O’Neill (20); Cormac Scott for M Morgan (45); Kevin Park for S Úi Flionn (inj).
Scorers: James McAuley 0-2; Ruairi Scott 0-1 (1 f); Stiofan Úi Flionn 0-1.
St Brigids: Stephen Maguinness; Sean McKernan, Niall McDonald, Finn McKernan; John Toner, Conor King, Peter King; Cathal Conway, Michael Cummings; James Smith, Joe Finnegan, Peter Webb; Rory Brolly, Jack Dowling, Ethan Carleton.
Scorers: Jack Dowling 1-1; Rory Brolly 0-3; James Smith 0-2 (2f); Peter Webb 0-1.
Referee: Sean Laverty (Moneyglass)
