Division 1 Football League
Dunloy 1-10 St Brigids 4-09
County champions Dunloy welcomed St Brigids to a windy but sunny Pearse Park for the opening round of the All County Division 1 league.
Before the throw in a minutes silence was observed by everyone in memory of referee Danny O’Neill from Gortnamona, who passed away.
St Brigids opened the scoring off from a free by Paul Bradley after 4 mins of the game. Dunloy would take a full 7 mins to get on the scoresheet and it would come from the spot after Donnach Laverty was hauled down in the box.
The same player stepped up to fire to the right of Fearghus Canning to give the home side a two point lead.
Dara Quinn & Paul Bradley wiped out this lead with a brace of scores as the visitors looked the stronger side for the opening fifteen minutes.
James Scally responded for Dunloy with a beautiful score on thirteen minutes but that would be Dunloys lot for the remainder of the half as St Brigids took control for the half.
Three points in a row from JJ Higgins, Paul Bradley & Cathal Conway further strengthen their grip on the game but with the half approaching Dunloy were still in contention.
With the game nearly at the whistle St Brigids broke though the home sides back line to force a penalty kick.
The impressive Sean Bradley sent Peter McQuillan the wrong way to send the visitors in to the changing rooms leading 1-01 to 1-06.
If Dunloy had a hill to climb it was made worse when St Brigids found the net for the second time. Peter McQuillian brilliantly saved the first shot but the ball broke kindly into the path of Dara Quinn who had an open net to make it an eight point game.
However, this had the desired effect on Dunloy who had a purple patch themselves to reduce the lead. Donnach Laverty scored a 2 pointer and less than a minute later Barry McCloskey scored another as the home side showed their intent.
Dara Quinn & Emmet McKendry traded points before the impressive Donnach Laverty fired over another 2 pointer from a free to reduce the lead down to two points, 1-08 to 2-07.
St Brigids needed a response and it was one that killed the game off as they registered 2-01 to put this game out of sight.
The first came via a pile of players in the box and it seemed like Dara Quinn had the final touch and the second via some excellent passing for JJ Higgins to palm it into the net.
A final two pointer from Donnach Laverty was the home sides last score as again it was Dara Quinn who closed the game out with a final point to make it 1-10 to 4-08.
An entertaining game from both sides with managements no doubt happy to get the first game into the systems and no injuries to report.
Dunloy
P McQuillan, M Traynor, S Og Blaney, C McCloskey, J Scally (0-01), R McGarry, C Kinsela, C McQuillan, P McGilligan, J Martin, N Elliott, C Cunning, Donnach Laverty (1-06 two 3 pointers), B McCloskey (0-02 one 2 pointer), E McKendry (0-01)
St Brigids
F Canning, J Mellon, C King, A McNichol, J Toner, P King, R Carleton, M Cummings, C Conway (0-01), O Downey, P Bradley (1-03), Dara Quinn (2-01), B McGurk, JJ Higgins 1-03)