IHC Group Group 1
St. Brigid’s 3-17 St. Gall’s 1-17
A superb performance from wing half forward, Eoin Dobbin proved the difference in the end as St. Brigid’s, Cloughmills defeated visitors St. Gall’s in a keenly contested Intermediate Hurling Championship, Group 1 encounter in Cloughmills on Friday night.
The ‘Biddies’ number 12 would finish the contest with 2-10 to his name as he struck some superb scores from play and from the placed ball with his second goal coming from a penalty.
The penalty came 10 minutes from time with the side’s level when Jackson McGreevey was penalised for throwing his hurl which struck a player with the St. Gall’s number 14 receiving Red.
Dobbin fired past Kurtis McGreevey to give his side a lead they would hold onto the end as the home side finished strongly to win by six in the end with the margin of victory slightly flattering the North Antrim men.
The opening half was pretty even with the side’s level on seven occasions with Marcus Donnelly and two from Mark Napier for St. Gall’s matched by Conor Laverty, Callum McKendry and Eoin Dobbin to leave it 0-3 to 0-3 with only eight minutes gone.
With Dobbin striking a number of excellent points and Liam Kearns pointing from a free and Niall O’Neill, Marcus Donnelly and Mark Napier in fine scoring form for the visitors, it was St. Gall’s who looked like finishing the half in front when they led by the minimum after 25 minutes.
It was Eoin Dobbin who stamped his class on proceedings in the closing minutes however as he fired home an excellent goal in the 28th minute to add to two pointed frees to see his side 1-8 to 0-7 ahead at the break.
Dobbin continued his one man demolition job at the start of the second half as he pointed a second minute free and when Callum McKendry added another the Cloughmills side were six ahead and appeared to be taking control.
St. Gall’s found a response however as they came storming back through Ronan Crossen, a superb sideline cup from Jackson McGreevey and two more from Fergus Donnelly and Mark Napier to close the gap to two by the 10th minute.
Just when the Milltown side looked like getting on top, St. Brigid’s struck with a second goal and again it was that man Dobbin who did the spadework. He soloed clear on goal but was dragged back as he was about to shoot with Kurtin McGreevey saving his initial effort but James Doherty followed up to finish from close range.
St. Gall’s quite simply refused to concede defeat as they staged another come-back as they ditched their sweeper with Jackson McGreevey given a free role and Ronan Crossen pointed before Niall O’Neill struck with a goal in the 15th minute and it was back to two once more.
A couple of well struck frees from Mark Napier had it all square again for the 8th time by the 20th minute but Eoin Dobbin’s goal from the penalty spot gave St. Brigid’s back a lead they would maintain to the end.
Dobbin would add a further 0-5 from converted frees in the run in to the final whistle with Liam Kearns adding one from play and Patrick Friel and Mark Napier replying with consolation scores for the Milltown Row side.
This win puts St. Brigid’s in with a chance of qualifying from Group 1 though they face a difficult away trip to Carey Faughs before finishing their campaign at home to Oisin, Glenariffe.
Cloughmills: 1 Gary McCollum, 2 Rian Dobbin, 3 Sean McKendry, 4 Corey Blair, 5 Johnny Duffin, 6 Ruairi Laverty, 7 Geoffery Og Laverty 8 Martin Dobbin, 9 Kevin O’Boyle, 10 James Doherty, 11 Callum McKendry, 12 Eoin Dobbin, 13 Liam Kearns, 14 Conor Laverty, 15 Reece Watt
Subs: 20 Stephen Smyth, 22, James O’Boyle, 24 Ryan Watson
St. Gall’s: 1 Kurtis McGreevey, 2 Daniel Churchill, 3 Ewan Rush, 4 Oran McIlhatton, 5 Patrick Friel, 6 Tomas O’Ciaran, 7 Ryan Irvine, 8 Jack Hopkins, 9 Fergus Donnelly, 10 Niall O’Neill, 11 Marcus Donnelly, 12 Ronan Crossen, 18 Ethan Walsh, 14 Jackson McGreevey, 15 Mark Napier.
Subs: Gregory McGreevey
Referee: Paul McSparran (Cushendun)
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