U-14 All County A Football Final
St Brigid’s 5-08-2-07 Dunloy
Kevin Herron reports from Dunsilly
A strong last ten minutes saw St Brigid’s clinch the U-14 All-County A championship with a 5-08-2-07 win over Dunloy at Dunsilly on Friday evening.
Dunloy hit the front through a converted Paudi O’Kane free inside of three minutes, but James Morrisey dropped an angled point over to restore parity.
After trading the opening two points, the duo did the same with goals, again it was Dunloy that forged ahead as Tom Richard cut inside and floated a high shot to the net, only for Rory Magee to thump a shot from close-range into the top corner within two minutes.
The South Belfast outfit led through a smart Rudy Doyle point, though Dunloy pulled through a converted Oisin O’Brien free and then opened up a three-point gap without resistance.
A second converted O’Kane free had them ahead for the third time and fine Oisin O’Brien point from played their advantage.
Paudi O’Kane clipped over his first from play to extend the lead after linking up with Tom Richmond in the build-up.
Eventually, St Brigid’s hit back and would tie things up for the third time at the interval.
Aidan Holmes hoisted a high ball on top of Garrett Finnegan- who gathered and steered a low effort to the net to make it 1-05-2-02 at the midway point in proceedings.
The opening four scores of the half were equally exchanged. Dunloy twice hit frontwhen Dylan McTague charged forward and popped the ball over and Paudi O’Kane then played a one-two with Richard and steered high over the bar.
In-between times Rory Magee swung a high effort between the posts, and he then kicked an angled free to level for the second time in the opening exchanges.
Paudi O’Kane almost found the net with a free that dropped tantalisingly close to the line but was scrambled away.
St Brigid’s edged ahead through a fine Aidan Holmes point from a difficult angle and doubled their advantage when Senan McMahon played a one-two with Patrick McAteer and guided his shot over.
Holmes doubled his personal tally after taking a return pass from James Morrisey and getting his angles right again to open up a 2-07-1-07 lead.
Momentum was briefly halted however as Dunloy restored parity with 10 minutes to go through a sensational bullet of strike from Oisin O’Brien.
Almost instantly St Brigid’s regained their goal advantage, midfielder Dan McAuley laid the ball off to James Morrisey to slam home and make it 3-07-2-07.
Garrett Finnegan stretched the advantage three minutes later, bundling the ball home at the third time of asking after Dunloy keeper Ciaran O’Brien made two outstanding saves in the build-up.
Finnegan would add a further point on the turn and his side secured victory two minutes from time with Morrisey grabbing his second goal following a neat exchange with Rory Magee.
Dunloy were unable to grab a consolation strike in the closing stages as St Brigid’s ran out 5-08-2-07 winners to add the All-County title to their Fr Mullan success five-days previous.
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