Gaelic Games: Biddies finish strong to overcome St Gall’s

O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division One
St Brigid’s 4-12 St Gall’s 2-9

A STRONG finish saw St Brigid’s take control and the two points on offer as their eye for goal came through against St Gall’s on Wednesday evening.

Summer was finally in the air at Musgrave Park and there seemed an added spring in the step of both teams who were full of drive and intensity, but with the game in the balance with 15 remains and the sides level, the hosts netted two further goals to double their tally of majors for the second half to put the game away.

Heading into it, just one point separated the sides in the standings as they push for a place in the title playoffs, but that is now three with the South Belfast team finding the answers down the stretch.

It was far from certain they would do so as they trailed by three at the break and although a Peter Lundy goal levelled matters, they required another major from Conor McAleer to get them on terms again, but once they broke for home they did so in assured fashion.

The hosts began this game much better with Jack Dowling storming ahead from the throw-in to score and McAleer finishing after a good burst forward from Peter King.

St Brigid’s seemed to have taken an early grip, but were masters of their own downfall after four minutes as they coughed up possession cheaply around their own 65 and with goalkeeper Declan Henry well out of his goal, Brendan Bradley was only too happy to send a long shot into the empty net.

The scores would dry up for a period, but the intensity or pace of the game did not dip with both teams displaying a good appetite for hard work as they put pressure on opposition attacks and gave nothing away easily.

It would take another 13 minutes before the scoreboard would tick on and it saw the lead change hands briefly as Reuben Carleton drilled over and McAleer curled over from the left.

It had been 20 minutes since Bradley’s goal by the time St Gall’s added to their tally, but it would spark a decent spell of five points on the spin as Daniel Quinn wriggled free to score. He would add another in this tome, while Barra McCaffrey would land a hat-trick of points – the last of those following an excellent break by Marcus Donnelly – before a Rory McErlean free with the last kick of the half trimmed the gap back to that goal at the break with St Gall’s 1-5 to 0-5 ahead.

The hosts came out after the break with intent and it didn’t take long to reap the rewards as two minutes in, a line ball was sent into Peter Lundy who gathered, popped out to McAleer who returned the ball inside and Lundy punched low to the net.

St Gall’s would cancel this out immediately as they went straight on the attack and McCaffrey passed to half-time substitute Niall O’Neill who finished to the roof of Heery’s goal.

But back came St Brigid’s and five minutes later, they tied it up once again as a direct ball wa gathered by Enda Downey who laid it off to McAleer to finish.

Again, St Gall’s replied well as Bradley and O’Neill kicked back-to-back points, but the Biddies were beginning to get on top and they enjoyed a run of scores as McAleer finished a move, the returning Patrick Finnegan – back from a cruciate injury sustained a year ago – levelled and Rory McErlean put a couple of misses behind him to edge his side ahead.

Daniel Quinn levelled matters for the sixth time of the evening to make it 2-8 apiece with 47 gone, but one minute later St Brigid’s would break for home with their third goal as Downey fisted a teasing ball inside and McErlean rose to finish.

The pair would add scores before the fourth goal game with six to play as good work from the impressive Michael Cummings saw him put the advancing Shay Campbell in to crash home for what was the clincher.

McErlean and Niall Fallon would trade late points with Ben Doherty having the final say at the death as St Brigid’s climate second in the standings and dent St Gall’s hopes of a top-four finish.

ST BRIGID’S: D Heery; F McKernan, C King, J McCarney; R Carleton (0-1), P King, S Campbell (1-0); M Cummings, J Dowling (0-1); J Toner, N Duffy, A McNicholl; P Lundy (1-0), C McAleer (1-3), R McErlean (1-4, 0-2f).
Subs: B Doherty (0-1) for A McNicholl (HT), E Downey (0-1f) for P Lundy (35), P Finnegan (0-1) for J Toner (39), B McGurk for J Dowling (55), S Doyle for P King (59).

ST GALL’S: C Kerr; M Donnelly, T Keenan, E McCurdy; C MacAdhaimh, C McGirr, C McCabe; C Ryan, M McCrossan; L Lynn, B Bradley (1-1), M Hopkins; N Fallon (0-1), B McCaffrey (0-3), D Quinn (0-3, 1f).
Subs: N O’Neill (1-1) for M Hopkins (HT), D MacLiam for M Donnelly (37), C Walsh for B McCaffrey (40), R Irvine for M McCrossan (47), E Walsh for B Bradley (52).

REFEREE: Conall Roberts (St John’s)

Wednesday’s results
O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division One
Tír na nÓg 3-8 Creggan 0-9
Cargin 2-12 Portglenone 0-12
All Saints, Ballymena 0-12 O’Donovan Rossa 0-8
Aldergrove 0-10 Aghagallon 0-14
Moneyglass 0-11 Glenravel 1-9
Lámh Dhearg 1-16 St John’s 2-8
St Brigid’s 4-12 St Gall’s 2-9
Naomh Éanna 1-9 Ahoghill 1-12

O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division 2A
St Patrick’s, Lisburn 1-13 St Paul’s 2-8
St Teresa’s 1-16 Davitt’s 0-11
Glenavy – bye

O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division 2B
Gort na Móna 1-7 Dunloy 2-11
Sarsfield’s 4-12 Ardoyne 3-5
Rasharkin – bye

O’Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division Three
Na Piarsaigh 2-14 Wolfe Tones 1-4
St Malachy’s 0-9 St Comgall’s 1-15
Éire Óg 0-14 St Agnes’ 2-8
O’Donnell’s 0-8 Laochra Loch Lao 2-11