ACHL Division 3
St. Brigid’s Cloughmills 0-11 Glen Rovers Armoy
League leaders, St. Brigid’s and today’s rivals, Glen Rovers, Armoy couldn’t be separated in a dour struggle in Cloughmills today. St. Brigid’s played with the elements in their favour in the first half but too often got bogged down as their short passing game got closed down by a resolute Armoy defence in which Thomas Burns was excellent in a sweeper role.
Indeed it was the visitors with their more direct style of play who shaded the opening half with Trevor Linton driving them forward and they looked to be in pole position when they turned around a point ahead at the short whistle.
Cloughmills opened on the offensive in the early stages but were off target three times in the opening minutes before the men from the Glen went ahead through Eoin O’Boyle with 10 minutes gone.
Trevor Linton hit a second to move the visitors two in front before Mickey Devlin finally got the ‘Biddies’ off the mark from a 50 meter free in the 12th minute and two further close range frees from Liam Kearns had the home side 0-3 to 0-2 ahead after 17 minutes and they seemed to be getting on top.
Armoy were having none of it however and a great long range point from Emmet O’Hara reignited their challenge and further points from a Trevor Linton pointed free and another long range effort from PJ McBride moved them two in front after 21 minutes.
The St. Brigid’s efforts continued to get bogged down with a lot of the play turning into rucks and free flowing hurling at a premium but Reece Watt, who had replaced Corey Blair early in the contest, sent over a late point to leave just one it at the end of an easily forgettable opening half.
Eoin Kinney extended the visitors lead to two with a point in the 4th minute of the second half but points from Eoin Dobbin and Mickey Devlin had matters all square by the 8th minute and the league leaders looked like they were getting it together but again they had flattered to deceive.
Armoy came back strongly with Thomas Burns sweeping up everything that came his way and Emmet O’Hara fired over a massive free from deep in his own half, Tarlach McBride added a couple from play and Trevor Linton followed with another to move the visitors four in front by the 16th minute and it wasn’t looking good for the league leaders.
It was at this stage that St. Brigid’s finally got it together as they began to show why they are topping the table as Mickey Devlin pointed a free, their first score for 12 minutes before Dobbin set up Liam Kearns who split the posts to close the gap to two with nine minutes remaining.
The momentum was now with the Cloughmills’ side as Glen Rovers started to concede needless frees and Mickey Devlin punished these indiscretions as he sent over two long range efforts and followed from a ‘65’ to edge his side ahead with time almost up.
It looked at this stage like the Armoy effort might have been for nothing but to their credit they came back strongly and missed a couple of chances before Trevor Linton fired over with the last strike of the game to give them a deserved share of the spoils.
Today’s result leaves St. Brigid’s top of the table on 9 points from 5 games where they are joined by Cuchullainn’s on 9 from the same number of games with Glen Rovers handily placed in third on 7 points from five starts.
St. Brigid’s: 1 Chris McKiernan, 2 Aaron McGuckian, 3 Sean McKendry, 4 Seosamh MacGabhann, 5 Johnny Duffin, 6 Conor Laverty, 7 Stephen Martin, 8 Geoffery Og Laverty, 9 Ruairi Laverty, 11 Michael Devlin, 12 Rian Dobbin, 13 Eoin Dobbin, 14, Liam Kearns, 17 Corey Blair. Subs: 19 Reece Watt, 28 Stephen Smyth, 23 Gary McCollum, 18 Timothy McNeill
Armoy: 1 Conor Devlin, 2 Calum Coyles, 3 Shane Devlin, 4 Joseph McFetridge, 5 Emmet O’Hara, 6 Arthur Devlin, 7 Liam Dillon, 8 Ciaran McKenna, 9 PJ McBride, 10 Eoin O’Boyle, 11 Thomas Burns, 12 Trevor Linton, 13 Colin Lordan, 14 Owen Kinney, 15 Tarlach McBride, 17 Liam O’Hara
Referee: Shane McDonnell (Glenariffe)
