Northern Switchgear Senior Football Championship
Quarter Final
St Brigid’s 3-11 St John’s 1-16
Saturday 19 September
Brendan McTaggart reports from Hannahstown
St Brigid’s sealed their place in the last four of the senior football championship on Saturday evening but they were pushed to the pin of their collar by the Johnnies at Hannahstown.
Just one point separated the sides by the time Brendan Toland called time on a pulsating encounter that felt like the Musgrave Park side escaped with the win. Despite leading by four points at half time and playing with the help of a healthy wind in the second half, St Brigid’s had to withstand a second half fightback from St John’s and but for a rare missed free from Paddy McBride deep in injury time, we could have had extra time at a chilly Hannahstown.
St Brigid’s first half performance was textbook when playing against the elements. Patience when needed and clinical when the opportunity came their way. They were helped with some questionable defending from the Johnnies who will feel that they were the masters of their own downfall in two of the three goals they conceded in the first half.
Ronan McGrady, James Smith and Patrick Finnegan all raised the green flag while McGrady finished top scorer for the south Belfast men with 1-4 over his 51 minutes on the pitch. John Morgan excelled at full back while Shay Campbell was Paddy McBride’s permanent shadow all game and did well to restrict the Johnnies star.
McBride managed to finish with nine points beside his name although all of those came from placed ball. The St John’s major came from the penalty spot when Conor McEvoy coolly slotted the ball into the top corner but ultimately the Johnnies first half performance cost them and they left themselves too much to do despite a heroic effort in the second half.
In a sedate opening, it was the south Belfast side who opened the scoring. Ronan McGrady (free) and JJ Higgins raising the white flag by the seventh minute.
St Brigid’s were on top in the middle third from the first whistle, allowing them to dictate the game against the wind. McBride got the opening score for St John’s when he split the uprights from outside the 40 meter arc but his side were wayward in front of the posts with two long range efforts going to the wrong side of the posts.
McBride (free) and Conall Bohill put the Johnnies two in front before JJ Higgins reduced that to the minimum midway through the opening half.
The first goal of the game came from James Smith but it owed much to the turnover the St Brigid’s defence created and the break from John Morgan. The St Brigid’s full back hared down the pitch from inside his own half and found Smith who made no mistake.
St John’s retaliated with a major of their own. McBride and Conall Bohill combining to release Ronan Quinn who was felled inside the square. McEvoy stepped up and found the top corner with a superb spot kick.
A quite brilliant two pointer from Conor Adams and free from McBride gave the Johnnies a four point lead with a little less than 10 minutes of the half remaining.
It was St Brigid’s who finished the half on top however with two goals in the closing stages. Ronan McGrady found the back of Padraig Nugent’s goals after they forced a turnover high on the pitch. He would add a two pointer from placed ball after James Smith raised a white flag while a Conor Adams free was the sole response from St John’s in the same period of time.
JJ Higgin’s split the uprights for his third point of the half before Conor Hand raised a white flag for the Johnnies but St Brigid’s found the back of the net for a third time in first half injury time. Patrick Finnegan with the presence of mind to take a quick free before breaking into space. He played a one-two with McGrady before coolly finding the bottom corner and give his side a 3-7 to 1-9 lead at half time.
St Brigid’s were well placed at half time and it would take a monumental effort from St John’s to get back into the game. The chances of a St John’s comeback looked bleak after eight minutes of the second half. Despite Ryan McNulty opening the scoring in the second half, points from McGrady and a two pointer from Paul Bradley had St Brigid’s six points ahead.
Incredibly, St Brigid’s would only register one more score in the 22 minutes of the hour plus injury time that remained.
St John’s went about their business, turning over ball and dominating the middle third. Clinically punishing any St Brigid’s indiscretions and chipping away at that lead.
A brace of frees from McBride preceded a 45 from Conor Hand to leave three between the sides at the half way point of the second half.
Niall Duffy split the uprights in the 47th minute, the south Belfast sides last score of the game putting four between the sides as St John’s continued to make inroads into the St Brigid’s lead.
Simon McDonagh finished a well worked move before another brace of McBride frees left the minimum between the sides with a little over three minutes of the hour remaining.
St Brigid’s looked to run down the clock, holding possession and keeping the ball out of trouble. They had opportunities to increase their lead but Declan Heery and substitute Conor McAleer went wayward.
St John’s had one last opportunity when McBride stood over a free just inside the 40 meter arc and to the left of the posts but his effort went to the right and wide with what was the last action of the game.
A dramatic ending to a brilliant game of championship football. St John’s looked to pull this one out of the bag at the death and with their efforts in the second half probably deserved extra time.
St Brigid’s championship run and ambitions remain. They left the Hannahstown pitch with mixed emotions but they have a semi final to look forward to and focus on in two weeks time.
TEAMS
St John’s Starting XV: Padraig Nugent; Oisin Jackson, Enda McGurk, Conor McEvoy; Sean Wilson, Chris O’Neill, Conal McGlade; Simon McDonagh, Conor Hand; Ryan McNulty, Paddy McBride, Ronan Quinn; Conall Bohill, Conor Johnston, Conor Adams
- Subs: Andy McGowan for C Adams (49); Jack Bohill for C McEvoy (56)
- Scorers: P McBride 0-9 (1tpf, 6f, 1’45); C Adams 0-3 (1tp); C McEvoy 1-00 (1-00 pen); S McDonagh 0-1, C Hand 0-1, R McNulty 0-1, C Bohill 0-1
St Brigid’s Starting XV: Declan Heery; Oran Downey, John Morgan, Shay Campbell; Shea Downey, Joseph Finnegan, Ronan McGrady; Jack Dowling, Patrick Finnegan; Ronan Boyle, Dara Quinn, Paul Bradley; Niall Duffy, James Smith, JJ Higgins
- Subs: Conor McAleer for R McGrady (51); Peter King for O Downey (54)
- Scorers: R McGrady 1-4 (1tpf, 2f); J Smith 1-1; JJ Higgins 0-3; P Bradley 0-2 (1tp); N Duffy 0-1
Referee: Brendan Toland (Lámh Dhearg)
TO SEE MORE OF BRENDAN’S PHOTOS FROM THE GAME, CLICK ON THE LINK….
https://myalbum.com/album/PRAX4kbA2nGtA8/?invite=6c92a37c-88ff-468b-806f-8421b519475e
