AFL1 ROUNDUP – 12TH JULY

AFL1 ROUND-UP: JULY 12

St Brigid’s and St Maur’s continued their excellent form in Division One of the Adult Football League on Wednesday evening, when they secured comprehensive victories over Skerries Harps and Ballyboden St Enda’s respectively.

With Alan McCarrick, Mark Cahill and Gavin Kane delivering strong defensive performances, Brigid’s were able to create a winning platform in the opening half of their meeting with Skerries at Russell Park.

They developed an insurmountable 4-10 to 0-3 cushion at the midway point in the contest, and although their goalkeeper Stephen Moore produced a brace of outstanding saves, Brigid’s were in control throughout.

Two goals apiece from the dynamic attacking duo of Philly Ryan and Darren Freeman (who played for Monaghan in the championship against Wexford last Saturday) were supplemented by further goals from Sean Egan and Daire Plunkett, as Brigid’s eventually registered a 6-18 to 0-9 triumph.

This fourth consecutive win for the northside club was also their seventh in just eight games, and they are now just one point adrift of league leaders St Jude’s in third place – level on points with Kilmacud Crokes.

A 1-14 to 2-5 success against St Vincent’s at Tymon North helped Jude’s to remain at the summit of the top-tier table, but alongside Brigid’s and Crokes, Ballymun Kickhams and Maur’s are keeping themselves in contention for the play-off spots.

Ballymun edged a thrilling encounter at Pairc Ciceam on a scoreline of 6-16 to 2-22, while Conor McGuire led by example for Maur’s in their clash with Ballyboden at Rush. Aided by the ever-dependable McGuire, the Kenure Park men created an eighth-point interval cushion (3-5 to 0-6), before eventually recording a 3-15 to 0-8 win.

Na Fianna’s form in this year’s league has been mixed, but with centre-forward Adam Caffrey in fine form, they claimed a morale-boosting 3-12 to 1-11 victory over Castleknock. Three-pointers from Tomas Brady, Senan Coughlan and Killian Deeley were crucial for the Glasnvein outfit, and with Niall Cooper and Niall McGovern keeping a tight rein in defence, they were worthy victors in the end.

Elsewhere, Lucan Sarsfields had all of 12 points to spare over Clontarf (3-19 to 2-10) at 12th Lock, and despite playing some excellent football, Cuala lost out to St Sylvester’s at Hyde Park in a high-scoring affair (4-10 to 3-19).

By Daire Walsh