ACFL Division 1
Moneyglass 1-8 Naomh Brid 1-19
As the race for the division 1 title continues at pace with nothing likely to be decided until the last day of the season, there is another battle going on that is just a compelling in division 1B.
Only three points separate second place Rossa and bottom club St. Enda’s but the Glengormley side haver a game in hand and in between St. Gall’s, Tir na nOg and last night’s opponents Moneyglass and St. Brigid’s are battling to avoid the drop.
In a game both sides desperate to win it was the visitors to Marian Hill who would make the better start as they took the lead through Jack Dowling in the opening minute.
Against a home side depleted by injury, St Brigid’s good start continued as they added a second point through a Declan Heary converted free before Patrick McCormick got the home side off the mark with a point in the 5th minute.
Naomh Brid with their county contingent back in the ranks continued to dominate as they hit three points on the bounce through Rory McErlean, Niall Duffy and Fergal Meenagh to lead by four as they dominated in nearly every area of the field.
Slowly though Moneyglass began to gain a foothold as they came back with three points of their own through Aidan McErlain, Peter McCormick and Conor Boyd to leave just one it with 15 minutes gone.
The home side would only add two further points in the opening half as Naomh Brid reasserted themselves on the game with Niall Duffy, James Smith, John Morgan and Duffy again adding points before Aidan McErlain responded with St. Ergnat’s 5th of the half in the 23d minute.
Duffy was causing a constant threat to the home defence and he struck his fourth point of the half with Oran Downey completing the visitors first half total and Sean Boyd replying with a late score for Moneyglass to leave them trailing by five at the break.
Rory McErean extended the visitors lead from a pointed free in the first minute of the second half with Conor Boyd replying from a free for the home side but it was the Musgrave Park side who resumed control at this early juncture and would go on to dominate.
James Smith replied with two on the bounce and Oran Downey followed with another as the visitors continued to pull away and when Fergal Meenagh followed with a goal in a well-executed counter attack in the 46th minute it was as good as over.
Rory McErlean added a couple of points as St. Brigid’s pressed home their advantage and Jack Dowling added another to put matters out of reach before the hard working Conor Boyd was rewarded for his efforts with a point in the 56th minute.
St. Ergnat’s to their credit, kept battling to the end and were reward with an injury time goal from Seanachan Duffin but it came too late to affect the result and it is Naomh Brid who climb above Wednesday night’s opponents on score difference.
With three rounds of games to play St. Ergnat’s will be hoping to get some of their walking wounded back on board for the visit of St. Gall’s on the 5th July while St. Brigid’s face a tough away fixture at St. John’s on the same night.
