U-15 A Football Championship
St Brigids 1-09-0-09 St Galls
Kevin Herron reports from Musgrave Park
St Brigid’s will take on St Pauls in the semi-final of the U-15 football championship after running out 1-09-0-09 winners over St Galls in the quarter-final clash at Musgrave Park on Thursday evening.
Both sides played out a thrilling 3-09 apiece draw at the same venue earlier on in the league campaign but both had contrasting ends in the aftermath with St Brigid’s lifting the league title and St Galls finishing in the lower half. Nonetheless an intriguing clash lay ahead.
St Galls were first off the mark through a Ségdee Mac Adhaimh point inside the opening minutes, but Luke Louge fed James Higgins to confidently level and the hosts hit the front through Donnacha McGurk’s effort that swung between the posts.
Padraig O’Muirigh restored parity and the sides traded further scores, Joseph Logan nudged his side back in front- only for O’Muirigh to float over an effort from distance and double his tally for the half.
The visitors ended the half stronger and would lead at the interval, Aodhan Pierce had his jersey tugged and the resulting free was converted by O’Muirigh – who was later conjure up his fourth score of the half as St Galls were 0-05-0-03 up at the midway point.
St Brigid’s started the second half on the front foot and were quickly back on terms as substitute Jacob Kennedy combined with Joseph Logan to drop a shot over the bar and Logan added a second shortly after to bring his tally to 0-03 for the evening.
A foul on Paul Austin allowed St Galls the chance to regain the lead and Padraig O’Muirigh took advantage.
It was short-lived though with Donnacha McGurk converting a 45’ to tie things up once again and the hosts then hit the front through an excellent free from Conor O’Connell.
The lead changed hands again when Odhran Bellew combined with O’Muirigh to swing over his sixth point of the contest and level, O’Muirigh then converted a free after a foul on midfield partner Ségdee Mac Adhaimh.
Back-to-back James Higgins frees had St Brigid’s back in front for the final time as they closed the game out with 54th minute goal.
Jack Heatherington slipped a pass into the path of Ronan Taylor whose shot dipped and crashed off the post and in to give his side a 1-09-0-08 advantage,
St Galls pushed for a goal of their own that would have set-up a grandtstand finish to a tight and tense encounter, but their only score in the remaining minutes came courtesy of a O’Muirigh free as the hosts saw the game out to set-up a semi-final meeting with St Paul’s.
