ACHL Division 2B
St. Brigid’s Cloughmills 2-11 Cloney Gaels 3-13
A goal from PJ O’Connell with eight minutes remaining finally swung this tight battle in favour of Cloney Gaels and broke the resistance of a battling St. Brigid’s in the driving wind and rain in Cloughmills today.
O’Connell was a threat throughout the contest and broke left from a ruck of player before firing to the net with the sides level at 2-11 apiece and he followed with a 26th minute point to bring his personal tally to 1-4 and finally kill off the spirited challenge of the home side.
It was St. Brigid’s who made a blistering start as they went in search of the points that might see them climb out of bottom spot and Ruairi Laverty pointed them ahead in the opening minute before Liam Kearns drilled a close range free through a crowded goalmouth to put them four in front with only four minutes on the clock.
Aaron Smylie pointed a 9th minute free and things were looking good for the home side but full-back Bernard Graham came forward to open the visitors account with a good point and Patrick Graham added a second to get the Ahoghill side on their way.
Donal Graham, Cloney Gaels solos clear of James Doherty, St. Brigids
A PJ O’Connell point in the 16th minute closed the gap to two as Cloney Gaels started to get on top and Owen Neeson followed from a 20th minute free before Fionnbar O’Neill tied the contest in the 21st minute. The visitors were well on top at this stage as Patrick Graham fired to the net in the 25th minute before Steven Smyth replied with a point, the home side’s first in 16 minutes.
Donal Graham added an Ahoghill point to put his side six in front with three minutes of the half remaining but an excellent goal from Mickey Devlin ignited the St. Brigid’s challenge and they finished the half with a flurry, adding four unanswered points to lead by one at the break.
Devlin, Steven Smyth, Devlin again and Liam Kearns were the men on target and as the sides headed of at half time there must have been optimism in the home dressing room that they could go on to collect their second brace of points of the season.
LEVELLED MATTERS
On the restart Patrick Graham levelled matters in the opening minute but points from Ruairi Laverty, Michael Morrison and a superb point from Michael Devlin saw St. Brigid’s move three in front by the 8th minute as the rain came down and the wind increased.
PJ O’Connell responded for the Gaels with a couple of pointed frees and another from Dan O’Neill had the sides level as both sides fought tooth and nail to gain the upper hand but significantly during this period, St.Brigid’s were guilty of a number of bad wides.
Geoffery Og Laverty, St. Brigids comes under pressure from James OConnell, Cloney Gaels
The ‘Biddies’ were still holding their own however and when Steven Smyth pointed them ahead with 11 minutes of normal time remaining they were still very much in contention but this was to be their final score of the game.
The Ahoghill sides greater resilience and know how took over as their defence shut shop and PJ O’Connell’s goal in the 22nd minute proved the killer blow as the Cloney men produced a strong finish to join Glenariffe at the top of division 2B.
O’Connell added a 26th minute point from a close range free and Eamon Brady concluded the scoring to see the visitors run out winners by a somewhat flattering five point margin.
Cloughmills will rue the number of wides they shot over the hour but will take some consolation from the performance but find themselves at the bottom of the table behind Glen Rovers with three games remaining.
St. Brigid’s: Adam Mooney, Geoffery Og Laverty, Steven Martin, Sean McKendry, James Doherty, Conor Laverty, Joseph Smyth, Michael Morrison, Ruairi Laverty, Steven Smyth, Michael Devlin, Eoin Dobbin, Nathan Richmond, Aaron Smylie, Liam Kearns. Subs: Michael Reid for Nathan Richmond, Gerard Reid for Eoin Dobbin.
Cloney Gaels: Aiden Graham, Stephen O’Connell, Bernard Graham, Diarmaid Graham, James Magee, Neil O’Connell, Eamon Brady, Donal Graham, Fionnbar O’Neill, Owen Neeson, Patrick Graham, PJ O’Connell, Thomas McGlone, Francis Neeson, James O’Connell. Subs: Pearse Downey, Martin Graham
Referee: Darren McKeown (St. Gall’s)
