Northern Switchgear SFC Group 4
St. Brigid’s 2-10 Moneyglass 0-8
St. Brigid’s made it two wins from two starts to qualify for the quarter finals of the Senior Football Championship when they recorded an 8 point win over St. Ergnat’s Moneyglass at Musgrave Park on Sunday.
It took both teams some time to settle, with the torrential rain that fell just before throw in making conditions slippery and it was St. Ergnat’s Conor Boyd who fired over the game’s opening point in the 5th minute with Enda Downey brining the side’s level with 7 minutes on the clock.
There followed another sustained period of play where defences were on top and mistakes aplenty followed before the deadlock was broken by a Colum Duffin free to give the visitors back the lead.
It was end to end at this stage and Paul Bradley replied once more for the home side to tie the contest for the second time with 13 minutes gone and the teams continued to trade score for score with Pat McCormick regaining the lead for Moneyglass before a brace from James Smith and Enda Downey gave St Brigid’s the lead for the first time in the 23d minute.
Downey’s point was quickly cancelled out by a superb Sean Boyd score from play at the other end to bring the sides level for the third time and there was nothing separating the sides as half time approached.
With conditions poor and defences on top a major would be a massive score and it was St. Brigid’s who struck with a goal through Enda Downey in the 25th minute when he took advantage of a quick free to fire to the net from close range, giving Danny McErlaine no chance.
With the visitors looking shell shocked St Brigid’s finished the half strongly and pushed home their dominance as they added late points through Paul Bradley and Enda Downey to give them a 5 point lead at the break, 1-06 to 0-4, which on the balance of play was a little cruel on the battling visitors.
Moneyglass needed a good start to the second half but it was St. Brigid’s who opened strongly and John Blaney announced his arrival with a goal in the 6th minute to move the Musgrave Park side 8 ahead.
St. Ergnat’s faced an uphill battle but they got the much needed next score through a Colum Duffin free in the 12th minute but again St. Brigid’s replied through Enda Downey and James Smith to move 2-8 to 0-5 ahead after 21 minutes and it was as good as over.
With the clock ticking down Moneyglass were now playing for their pride and they did get the next score through a Conor Boyd free but this was cancelled out again as Paul Bradley replied at the other end.
St Brigid’s
Declan Heery, Finn McKernan, Joseph Finnegan, Conor King, Reuben Carleton, John Morgan, Fergal Meenagh, Peter King, Jack Dowling, Shea Downey, Oran Downey, James Smith (c), Enda Downey, Conan McNicholl, Paul Bradley.
Moneyglass
- Danny McErlain 2. Fearghal Duffin 3. Peter McCormick 4. James McCormick 5. Tiernan McCormack 6. Paul Duffin 7. Patrick McCormick 8. Colum Duffin 9. Seanchan Duffin 10. Kevin McCann 11. Jack McCoy 12. Connlaodh McCann 13. Sean Boyd 14. Aidan McErlain 15. Conor Boyd 17. Callum McStocker 19. Connor O’Kane 20. Charlie McCloskey
Moneyglass continued to fight to the end and Conor O’Kane struck a fine point from play and Conor Boyd followed from another free to cut the deficit to 7 with 28 minutes gone.
The closing minutes saw St. Brigid’s run down the clock with Paul Bradley firing over the game’s final point to give them a comprehensive 8 point victory and send them into quarter final as group winners.
All is not lost for Moneyglass however and it’s a case of dust themselves down for another tough assignment against the finalists from the last 2 years, St. Mary’s Aghagallon in a winner takes all game at Marian Hill on Sunday the 27th of August.
