Northern Switchgear SFL Group 2
Casement’s 2-19 St. Brigid’s 0-11
Casement’s Portglenone produced a performance of power, pace and total commitment to overcome the challenge of a disappointing St. Brigid’s in this opening Group 2 game of the SFC at Kelly Park tonight. At the start of the season these two sides met in a division1 league opener at the same venue with St. Brigid’s striking with a late goal to take the points but it never looked likely that there would be a repeat of that result tonight.
The visitors were 1-2 to 0-0 down before they knew what hit them with Michael Hagan side footing the ball to the net in the 2nd minute when the St. Brigid’s defence failed to deal with a dropping ball into the danger area.
Fergal O’Kane had opened the scoring with a point, a minute later and Oisin Doherty followed Hagan’s goal with another point as the visitors struggled to get going. St. Brigid’s were conceding needless frees and Michael Hagan punished them with a point in the 8th minute before Patrick Finnegan finally got St. Brigid’s off the mark with a point at the other end.
Niall McKeever and James Smith exchanged further points before a point from the impressive Dermot McAleese left Portglenone 1-5 to 0-2 ahead at the first water break and in almost complete control.
Michael Hagan extended the Casement’s lead from a free on the restart before Ronan Boyle replied with a good point for the visitors but the momentum was still very much with the home side as Niall Delargy and Michael Hagan edged them further ahead by the 23d minute.
The Musgrave Park side were doing all in their power to wrestle control form the opposition and enjoyed their best spell of the game in the minutes leading up to half time with Ruairi Brolly, Shay Campbell, James Smith and a great point from Patrick Finnegan bringing their total to 0-7 at the break but the Ports were still five ahead as the half time whistle sounded.
If St. Brigid’s were to get back into contention then they need a good start to the second half but in the event it was Portglenone who continued to call the shots with Stephen Kelly getting them on their way, 30 seconds after being introduced as a half time sub.
James Smith pulled one back from a free but the Casement’s pressure was relentless and St. Brigid’s couldn’t cope with their pace and movement. Michael Hagan, Ruairi Hagan and Oisinn Doherty moved the Kelly Park side 1-14 to 0-8 ahead by the 7th minute and even at this early juncture it looked a long way back for the Musgrave Park side.
Eight points separated the sides at the second water break with Oisin Doherty for Portglenone and James Loughery and Ryan Tweedie for St. Brigid’s the marksmen but when Niall McKeever won the race with Declan Heery for a through ball to stab to the net in the 21st minute it was over.
Oisin Doherty sent over a great point before departing the contest and Dermot McAleese concluded the scoring with an equally impressive effort to see his side run out winners by 14 points and on this form they look like a side who could be in the frame come the knockout stages of the championship.
Portglenone: Ryan O’Neill, Johnny Convery, Shane Delargy, Ronan Delargy, Ryan Convery, Ruairi Hagan, Caolan Tierney, Niall McKeever, Fergal O’Kane, Niall Delargy, Dermot McAleese, Aidan McAleese, Michael Hagan, Oisin Doherty, Paddy Kelly,. Subs: Stephen Kelly for Paddy Kelly Ronan Kelly for Aidan McAleese, Michael Kelly for Michael Hagan, Conal Delargy for Oisin Doherty, Conor Magee for Niall Delargy.
St. Brigid’s: Declan Heery, John Morgan, John Toner, Calum Webb, Ronan Boyle, Conor King, James Loughery, Michael Cummings, Jack Dowling, Peter King, Joseph Finnegan, Patrick Finnegan, Peter Henvey, James Smith, Ruairi Brolly. Subs: Shay Campbell for Calum Webb, Paul McCumiskey, Ryan Tweedie, Conor McAleer
