Casement Social Club JHC Group 1 – Round 3
Friday 22nd August
Report by Niall Kelly from Musgrave Park
Naomh Bríd 2-20 Ciceam Ard Eoin 1-14
St Brigid’s secured safe passage to the knockout stages in this year’s Junior Hurling Championship and guaranteed themselves a home quarter final for good measure, thanks to a hard-fought victory over a dogged Ardoyne side with nine points to spare. With ten minutes to go, this one was all to play for as a single púc of the ball separated the sides with Naomh Bríd 1-16 1-13 to the good. However, a dominant finish to proceedings would see them outgun their opponents with David Prenter’s last gasp goal providing the icing on the cake. Yet again, their talisman, James Kelly, proved pivotal to their success as the young sharpshooter put on an exhibition with his free-taking racking up an impressive 0-16 capping off a fine evening’s work.
The game burst into life with five scores in as many minutes. Daniel Moore and Matt McKillen found their bearings for the visitors whilst the hosts hit back through scores from John McGuckian and James Kelly before the latter of the two embarked on a slaloming drive forward with a finish to match to edge his side ahead.
Ardoyne will rue the minutes that followed midway into the half as the concession of numerous cheap frees were punished ruthlessly by marksman in chief, Kelly, as he was imperious from the dead ball, firing over five in a row. The North Belfast men did respond though as McKillen doubled his tally with a fine point from play before Patrick McGreevy demonstrated his own prowess from frees with two excellent scores from tight angles to narrow the gap to three.
The game was really in the melting pot now and a real ding-dong battle was ensuing for control. Further points were exchanged between the two as shot-stopper Brian McGurk’s pinpoint púc-out was retrieved by Phelim Lennon who made no mistake with his finish before David Prenter opened his account with a great score over his shoulder. Unperturbed, the men in black would fire back with two of their own through the trusty hurl of Patrick McGreevy.
With the clock ticking down to the interval, it would be the hosts who would have the final say. Unsurprisingly, it was Kelly yet again who would prove to be the source of their good fortunes as he further bolstered his burgeoning tally with two more from the placed ball to leave the score at the short whistle, 0-12 to 0-07 in favour of St Brigid’s.
The Ardoyne team-talk at half time was surely centred around stifling Kelly’s opportunities from the dead ball and to be more disciplined in the tackle. This certainly reaped rewards as they began to chip away at the deficit and they opened the half on the front foot with white flags raised thanks to McGreevy from three frees and Matt McKillen who angled his effort to perfection. Kelly couldn’t be silenced for too long though as Ardoyne’s nemesis came back to haunt them yet again with two fine long-range scores.
It would be the hosts who grabbed the game’s first major on the forty-fifth minute. John McGuckian thought he was the one to provide it but was spectacularly denied at close range thanks to Paddy Heaney, however, the Ardoyne net-minder was powerless to deny Phelim Lennon who pounced in the melée to strike high to the net on the rebound.
Six points in arrears, the visitors knew they had to conjure something quickly and were able to find the perfect remedy with a goal of their own. Enda Slattery’s cleverly disguised pass paved Matt McKillen through on goal who finished with conviction. With their tails now aloft, they looked to turn the screw further as McGreevy fired over another two to add to his ever-growing tally before Daniel Moore popped up from midfield to grab another.
As the game approached its climax, only two was now between the sides as a grandstand finish was in proposal. Nevertheless, the hosts extinguished any hopes of a nailbiter with a dominant finish and were first to every break as they limited Ard Eoin to a solitary score from Moore whilst firing 1-05 to add a little gloss to the score line.
James Kelly certainly found his scoring touch again as he split the uprights with four in a row to decimate the visitor’s hopes before Oisin McDonnell pointed from a tight angle. With darkness descending upon Musgrave Park, there was just enough time for David Prenter to grab his side’s second goal with a smart finish.
Credit to both sides for a thoroughly entertaining evening’s hurling. The scoreline perhaps is a little harsh on Ardoyne who battled resiliently throughout and had they held their nerve in the final ten minutes, it could well have been a different conclusion. They are now reliant on a heavy Glenravel win against Davitts tomorrow to have any chance of advancing.
St Brigid’s though will be delighted with their performances thus far. Few would’ve predicted their results at this stage and they have proven exactly what they are capable of. Two wins against formidable opponents and they ran group-winners, Glenravel, very close. They will surely look to build on these performances and could perhaps be a surprise package in the knockout stages.
Teams:
Naomh Bríd:
B McGurk; D Sidebottom, C Lundy, J Massingham; J Purdy, J McCarney, C McElhatton; N Murtagh, D McGurk; N Duffy, P Lennon (1-01,) J Kelly (0-16;) D Prenter (1-01,) J McGuckian (0-01,) O McDonnell (0-01)
Ciceam Ard Eoin:
P Heaney; C Curran, P Baker, E NicLochlain; A Stewart, M McLaughlin, C McShane; P McGuigan, D Moore (0-03;) C Wallace, C Keown, M McKillen (1-03;) P McGreevy (0-08,) C Barnes, M McGreevy
Referee: Colm McDonald (St. Gall’s)
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