U21 Football championship grading round
In an entertaining U21 match at Kickham’s Creggan it was St Brigid’s who came out on top by a score of 1-12 to 1-08.
St Brigid’s started the livelier and took the lead through Paul Bradley with 0-02 before Kickham’s opened their account with Dominic Mc Ateer & Ronan Burke getting a point apiece. Then Jamie McCann who was having a GREAT game for Kickham’s scored 0.02 points with Bradley replying for Brigid’s to close the gap to the minimum. Jamie McCann gave Kickhams the 2 point cushion again in the 18th minute as the home side enjoyed a period of ascendancy. On the 20th minute a high speculative ball into St Brigid’s area was brilliantly fielded by Dominic Mc Ateer who then turned and smashed it into the net. In fairness to St Brigid’s they never panicked and stuck to their game plan and they hit back through the impressive Peter Heavney with a great goal in the 29th minute and the same player slotted over the bar for the last point of the half to leave the match all square at half time 1-05 to 1-05.
At the start of the second half Kickham’s got the start they were looking with Dominic McAteer kicking 2 points inside the first 5 minutes but that was where their challenge ended as St Brigid’s with their larger and stronger panel really took over. Peter Heavney fired over 4 points to his total and Paul Bradley added 2 with Rory Brolly kicking a point in the 14th after coming on as a sub. The Kickham’s men never gave up with Dominic McAteer getting his last point after a mountain of work from Eunan Mc Ateer and Ethan Carey-Small.