Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship (round one)
Casement’s Portglenone 1-10 St Brigid’s 0-09
A 27th minute goal by Michael Donnelly was to prove crucial as Casement’s advanced to the quarter-final of the senior football championship at the expense of St Brigid’s at Glenravel today.
The big full forward was well stationed to receive on the left flank after a positive two pronged approach and the finish was precise to ensure a 1-05 to 0-03 interval advantage for the O’ Cahan Park residents.
The South West side were never headed after that but they did require the aid of the wood work as Ronan Mc Grady’s 37th minute penalty strike rebounded of the crossbar and was cleared to safety.
Jack Dowling was tireless in his efforts in the St Brigid’s cause but despite efforts aplenty from the big man the Bannsiders, with Jonny Convery leading by example in a resolute defence, were not found wanting.
Back to back points by Ronan McGrady and Michael Cummings in the 52nd and 53rd minutes, had reduced the deficit to four, but despite a late revival this was as close as St. Brigid’s got.
The Portglenone net minder Ryan O’Neill, who had an excellent hour was called upon again in the dying minutes to ensure Ronan McGrady was not to get a hand to a Cathal Conway cross.
In the event the gallant city men were to be thwarted in their efforts with Casement’s breasting the winning line at 1-10 to 0-09 and a place in the quarter- finals secured.
Little had separated the sides for most of the opening period and it was all square, 0-03 apiece well into the second quarter.
St Brigid’s had started positively but were denied by the excellence of the Casement’s net-minder Ryan O’ Neill who stood tall to deny Ronan Mc Grady with an excellent diving save with less than a minute on the clock.
The city men opened account shortly after when Rory Brolly split the posts and the corner man was followed in kind when Pat Finnegan added a second in the 7th minute.
The Bannsider’s were soon to settle to the task on hand after a tentative opening few minutes and with Dermot McAleese leading the charge they took
the lead by the 15th minute as Dermot Mc Aleese, Ciaran Mc Kenna, and Conal Delargy raised whites apiece.
Ronan Mc Grady’s 20th minute 40 metre free yielded a fine point to ensure they were back on terms and he was then denied by the post from gaining the lead a couple of minutes later.
The South West men went a couple of points ahead when a well laid counter attack and a foul on Conal Delargy saw the wing man dust himself off to despatch the award between the posts and when Niall McKeever rose highest to field the resultant kick out he sent the industrious Gerard Mc Aleese in to add another.
St. Brigid’s pressed hard as the half came to a close with Jack Dowling leading the charge but the Casement’s rear guard stood tall and a Jonny Convery interception saw him send Ciaran McKenna away with the wing half forward releasing Niall Delargy and the latter’s lay off opened the way for Michael Donnelly to finish to the back of the net.
That late strike ensured a 1-05 to 0-03 interval advantage for the Casement’s men and that was extended shortly into the second half.
Conal Delargy and Fergal O’ Kane raised back to back white flags to move them 1-07 to 0-03 ahead and the O’ Cahan Park side looked in control.
St Brigid’s were battling to get back into the game and were offered an excellent opportunity when an under pressure Casement’s defender was guilty of an ‘off the ground offence’ inside the square with a penalty the resultant award.
Ronan McGrady steped up to take the resulting kick but although the delivery was crisply despatched his effort rebounded of the crossbar to safety.
Mc Grady gained some consolation when he directed a 55 metre free kick between the posts with Peter Lundy following on the same route a couple of minutes later.
Casement’s goal scorer Michael Donnelly added a fine point to his tally when he fetched and delivered from away out on the left side with Ronan McGrady replying at the end of the third quarter with the Bannsider’s maintaining a five point advantage.
St Brigid’s refused to throw in the towel however but after Michael Cummings popped up on the right hand side to split the posts and Ronan McGrady followed suit, back to back Ronan Kelly points ensured a 1-10 to 0-08 advantage for Casement’s with the end in sight.
Both sides looked to their bench in the closing stages but Casement’s remained in charge despite Ronan Mc Grady’s late strike yielding a point to reduce the deficit to four but that was as close as they got with the Portglenone defence, well marshalled by net-minder Ryan O’ Neill closing shop.
Casement’s: Ryan O’ Neill, Jonny Convery, Shane Delargy, Ryan Convery, Ronan Delargy, Niall Delargy, Caolan Tierney, Niall Mc Keever, Fergal O’ Kane (0-01), Conal Delargy (0-03), Dermot Mc Aleese (0-01), Ciaran Mc Kenna (0-01), Ronan Kelly (0-02), Michael Donnelly (1-01), Gerard Mc Aleese (0-01)
Subs
Michael Kelly for G Mc Aleese
Paddy Kelly for F O’ Kane
Ryan Mc Guigan for C Tierney
St Brigid’s: Stephen Magennis, Diarmuid Mc Laughlin, Niall Mc Daniels, Finn Mc Kernan, Dara Mc Greevey, John Toner, Peter King, Michael Cummings (0-01), Cathal Conway, Peter Lundy (0-01), Ronan Mc Grady (0-05), Patrick Finnegan (0-01), Rory Brolly (0-01), Jack Dowling, Eoin Mc Keever
Subs
Sean Mc Kenna for D Mc Greevey
John Moyen for P Lundy
Brian Mc Carthy for J Toner
Ryan Tweedy for P Finnegan
Shane Boyle for R Brolly
Referee Eamon Mc Auley (Erin’s Own)
