ACFL Division 1
Clooney Gaels 0-10 St. Brigid’s 1-16
St. Brigid’s cemented their place in the ACFL Division 1 semi-final with this league win over St. Mary’s Ahoghill at Clooney on Saturday night.
There was little between the sides in a close opening half with the visitors just two in front at the halfway stage but a goal from Niall Duffy, five minutes into the second half swung it decisively in favour of the visitors.
The opening exchanges were a shootout between Rory McErlean for St. Brigid’s and St. Mary’s James O’Connell with both kicking three points each but a point from the visitors Sonny Doyle had the visitors ahead with 14 minutes gone.
O’Connell would go on to account for all of the Ahoghill side’s 6 first half points but it was the visitors with the greater spread of scorers who carried the greater threat with Conor McAleer kicking three and Rory McErlean bring his total to 0-4 with the final point of the opening half.
H.T. Ahoghill 0-6 St. Brigid’s 0-8
McErlean would extend the visitors lead with a point on the restart and Ben Doherty followed with another and when Duffy got in for a goal in the 5th minute the Musgrave Park side were 7 ahead and it looked a long way back for the home side.
It would be 12 minutes before Ronan Graham became the second man on the St. Mary’s score card as he brought their total for the evening to 0-7 but it failed to bring the necessary response from his colleagues.
Instead it was St. Brigid’s who made an immediate reply with Rory McErlean leading the way with two of the following three points and it was 21 minutes before Ronan Graham hit his and his side’s second of the half.
St. Mary’s did kick two more in quick succession to bring their total for the evening to 0-10 but St. Brigid’s finished strongly with Rory McErlean, Niall Duffy and Conor McAleer all on target as they ran out convincing winners.
This win sees St. Brigid’s join Cargin at the top of the table on 22 points from 13 start and these two look certain to make the play-offs but just who will join them will go down to the last day of the season with Tir na nOg, Kickham’s, Casements, St. Gall’s and All Saints all still in the mix.