ACFL Division 1
St Brigids 0-9-0-13 St Galls
Kevin Herron reports from Musgrave Park
ST GALLS maintained their winning start to their Division 1 campaign with a 0-13-0-9 victory over St Brigid’s at Musgrave Park on Saturday afternoon.
It was a clash of two sides with unbeaten records to date and it was an even contest for the majority of proceedings.
The hosts were first off the mark after Patrick Finnegan swung a pass to Paul Bradley- who popped over and they extended their lead when Brian McGurk rose high to claim a mark, the play was switched well and Dara Quinn played a one-two with Michael Cummings before side-footing over at the near post.
St Galls registered their first point following a stray arm bringing Martin Murray to ground and Daniel Quinn converted the resulting free.
Parity was restored through a fine Callum Walsh point after Padraig O’Muirigh collected a pass from Murray in the build-up.
Points were exchanged between Niall Duffy and Daniek Quinn either side of the halfway point in the half.
St Brigid’s stole a march and hit three unanswered points in the space of two minutes. They should have had a goal when Niall Duffy’s shot was parried by Chris Kerr and Conan McNicholl threw himself at the follow up, which Kerr somehow clawed over at the expense of a point rather than the goal that looked to be coming.
Back-to-back points from Paul Bradley moved the hosts 0-6-0-3 ahead, but in reply Padraig O’Muirigh swung over and a close range Quinn free ensured the minimum separated the sides at the interval.
St Galls had the opportunity to hit the front within three minutes of the restart after referee Colly Thompson spotted holding in the area and signalled for a penalty.
The opportunity passed the visitors by though as Daniel Quinn’s low spot kick was pushed away low to the keepers right by Declan Heery.
Quinn atoned for his miss by levelling from his third free of the afternoon and then edged his side in front for the first time from a further placed ball.
A fine Callum Walsh point doubled his tally and his sides lead prior to a slight delay for referee Thompson to dish out a few yellow cards for a coming together.
With little under a quarter of an hour remaining talisman Quinn notched up a further free to move St Galls 0-9-0-6 to the good.
It took St Brigid’s until the 17th minute of the second period to get up and running, substitute Conor O’Connell’s attempt clipped the large post and fell to Paul Bradley, he was unable to find a pocket of space for a goal shot and instead opted for a fisted point.
A converted Bradley free had reduced arrears to a single point by the 53rd minute, but Liam Lynn fisted over a point at the other end in reply.
Bradley again narrowed the margin with a placed ball on the 60th minute, though they were unable to pull level and instead St Galls finished strongly.
Daniel Quinn kicked his sixth and seventh free of the contest and in between times Padraig O’Muirigh took a lay-off from substitute Niall Fallon and swept over his second to ensure that St Galls ran out winners at the conclusion and top the table after three rounds in the league.
ST BRIGIDS: D Heery, A McNicholl, C KIng, J Mellon, J Toner, P Finnegan, R Carleton, M Cummings, C Conway, O Downey, P Bradley (0-6, 0-2f), B McGurk, D Quinn (0-1), C McNicholl (0-1), N Duffy (0-1). SUBS:C O’Connell for J Mellon (17), D Oglesby for C Conway (HT), J McCarney for A McNicholl (60+2).
ST GALLS: C Kerr, C Hale, A McDonagh, E McCurdy, J McCaffrey, L Lynn (0-1), G O’Neill, M McCrossan, A Gallagher, A Mackel, D Quinn (0-8, 0-7f), M Murray, C Walsh (0-2), P O’Muirigh (0-2), E Walsh. SUBS: D Ball for L Lynn (40-48 blood sub), N Fallon for C Walsh (55).
REFEREE: Colly Thompson (ST JOHNS)
More photos of the game are posted below