Brides storm to facile win
CTI BUSINESS SOLUTIONS IFC GROUP B
ST Brides carried their excellent league form into the Intermediate Championship as the Division 2 pace-setters proved too strong for Na Piarsaigh at Stabannon on Friday night.
The Dundalk men went into the Group B clash without a league win to their name and were always going to be up against it. Although they turned in a display of great heart and determination, they were unable to match the quality of the Knockbridge outfit.
The Brides had the ability to play with a greater pace and cohesion and this, combined with a superior eye for the target, had them on course for victory from the early exchanges.
However, it wasn’t all plain sailing as despite a bright start, they did allow Na Piarsaigh to get on top in the first half, and but for some missed chances the Dundalk men could have had their opponents in greater difficulty.
Early in the second half there were just three points between the teams, but the Rock Road side couldn’t sustain that effort and the Brides superior fitness told in the end as they ran out 13-point winners.
The village side made a brilliant start and after Aaron Hoey opened the scoring on three minutes, Shane Devin won the resultant kick-out. After a surging run from the middle he exchanged passes with Kevin Hearty before planting the ball in the bottom corner.
Hoey and Paddy Reilly followed up with points to make it 1-3 to 0-0 on eight minutes before Mark Larkin got a first point for Na Piarsaigh. However, the Brides continued to dominate and within seconds Reilly’s excellent pass set up Ciaran Deane for a second goal.
The Brides were cruising at that stage but relaxed their grip as Na Piarsaigh showed great character to get back into the game. They were rewarded with points from Ciaran Murphy and Joe Woods but missed the chance to put real pressure on the Brides by kicking four wides and seeing another fall short.
Two further points from Hoey followed either side of an Alan McCartney before Na Piarsaigh were given real hope when a foul on Gavin McGee allowed Larkin to fire home from the penalty spot and reduce the gap to 2-5 to 1-4 at the break.
Larkin landed the first point of the second half within seconds of the restart to cut the gap to just three points. Although the game was back in the melting pot, there was always the sense that the Brides had more in the tank and so it proved.
Half time sub, Sean Brennan, kicked the first of his four points and with Ciaran Deane, Kevin Hearty and Reilly all on target, the Brides were leading by 2-11 to 1-5 at the end of the third quarter and pulling away from a tiring opposition,
They sealed victory in the 48th minute when great work by Michael Keane and Hoey set up Andrew Smyth for the third goal and ensure the Brides maintained their excellent run of form.
ST BRIDES: Darren Breen; Ronan Bailey, Laurence Steen, Padraic Mackin; Michael Keane, Andrew Smyth 1-0, Conor Deane; Mark Hoey, Alan Dunne; Shane Devin 1-0, Aaron Hoey 0-4, Sean Marry; Kevin Hearty 0-1, Paddy Reilly 0-2, Ciaran Deane 1-1. Subs: Shane Brennan 0-4 for A Dunne, Cathal McKenna 0-1 for A Hoey, Gareth Hall for S Devin, Stephen Kettle for Conor Deane, Johnny Culleton for M Keane.
NA PIARSAIGH: Damien McCrink; Fearghal Mulholland, Conall Shields, Stephen McGuinness; Ciaran Murphy 0-1, Ronan McCartney, Joe Woods 0-1; Michael Woods, Mark Larkin 1-3; Robbie Murphy, Alan McCartney 0-1, Gavin McGee; Damien McGeeney, Gerard Smyth, Gary O’Hare. Subs: Stephen Arrowsmith for A McCartney, John Garvey for R Murphy.
REFEREE: David Fedigan