AHL 1: GAME OF THE WEEK – ST. BRIGIDS V NA FIANNA

ADULT HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

ST BRIGID’S: 1-13

NA FIANNA: 2-08

Brendan McInerney’s second-half goal proved to be decisive at St Mobhi Road on Wednesday evening, when 14-man St Brigid’s secured a crucial victory over Na Fianna in Division One of the Adult Hurling League.

Four opening period points from Paul Winters helped Brigid’s to bring a slender one-point lead into the interval, and even though they lost John O’Loughlin to a second yellow-card in the 44th-minute, they eventually held out for their seventh league win of 2017.

Thanks to their recent comprehensive triumph against St Jude’s, Na Fianna found themselves at the summit of the top-tier table heading into the final game of the regular season. Their superior score difference put them ahead of Ballyboden St Enda’s, and with the southsiders not in action until Saturday (when they face an away trip against Craobh Chiarain), it was an ideal opportunity for the Glasnevin men to end their group campaign on a high.

However, with just three separating them from both Na Fianna and Ballyboden, Brigid’s were seeking a fourth consecutive win. They also have a re-fixed encounter with Parnell’s on the horizon, but they suffered a hammer blow in the opening moments of their penultimate league game of the year.

Just under two minutes into the action, Na Fianna corner-forward Sean Murphy was picked out close to the Brigid’s goal – and he brilliantly found the roof of the net, beyond the reach of netminder Alan Nolan.

This was the kind of start that the Russell Park men were hoping to avoid, but with their half-forward line of O’Loughlin, Paul Winters and Cian O’Sullivan making a strong impression, they quickly got themselves back into contention.

Excellent work from Eoghan Dunne and Derry Murphy set-up a fifth-minute point for O’Sullivan, and this was immediately followed up a similar score from Winters. Na Fianna added to their tally with a tricky free from Colin Currie, but thanks to a brace of placed-ball efforts by Winters, Brigid’s were back on level terms by the ninth-minute of the half.

Na Fianna midfielder Peter Feeney and the impressive O’Sullivan traded scores prior to the first-quarter, but as the half developed, the two sides were becoming quite wayward in front of goal. Both defences were on top for large spells, though, and Na Fianna wing-back Paul O’Dea split the Brigid’s posts after Joey Boland picked him out from a quick free.

However, the introduction of McInerney on the stroke of 20 minutes led to a re-shuffle in the visiting team’s attack, and they enjoyed a productive end to the half. Johnny McGuirk claimed a fine score from play on the right-wing, and though O’Loughlin and McGuirk joined Donnacha Ryan in the referee’s notebook, another successful Winters free ensured that Brigid’s held a 0-7 to 1-3 advantage at the midway point.

They were hoping to push on when the action resumed, but their back line was breached once again from the opening attack of the second half. A long delivery was caught by Maurice Watters (who had moved from centre-forward to the edge of the square) and he registered a second Brigid’s goal with a clinical finish from close-range.

This was a significant boost for Na Fianna, but although Winters was off-target from some score-able set-piece opportunities, they were back on level terms 38 minutes in. The industrious Dunne opened his account with an excellent point on the run, and he supplemented this effort with an outstanding sideline cut from the left-flank.

Brigid’s were hoping to build momentum during this juncture, and Winters regained his composure with an additional 0-2 salvo. This increased the pressure on the hosts, and after McGuirk had a shot saved by Jonathan Treacy on 42 minutes, McInerney was on hand to apply the finishing touches to the resulting rebound.

Brigid’s had now created a five-point cushion (1-11 to 2-3), but when a scuffle in the middle of the field at the end of the third-quarter led to O’Loughlin’s dismissal, Na Fianna were suddenly afforded a much-needed lifeline.

Treacy immediately reduced their deficit with an inspirational pointed free from inside his own half, and courtesy of a second O’Dea point in response to another Winters score for Brigid’s, Na Fianna were keeping the Castleknock/Blanchardstown outfit on their toes.

An eighth point by Winters nine minutes from the end of normal time provided Brigid’s with extra breathing space, but as the final whistle approached, Na Fianna were starting to force them on the back-foot more and more.

Gavin King found the range from a 35-metre free, and with Murphy and King (free) adding further scores, just two points separated the teams heading into stoppage-time.

However, Brigid’s held firm in the closing stages, and they are now just one point adrift of both Na Fianna and ‘Boden with a game still to play.

Scorers – St Brigid’s: Paul Winters 0-8 (6f), Brendan McInerney 1-0, Eoghan Dunne (1 s/line), Cian O’Sullivan 0-2 each, Johnny McGuirk 0-1 each. Na Fianna: Sean Murphy 1-1, Maurice Watters 1-0, Gavin King (2f), Paul O’Dea 0-2 each, Jonathan Treacy (f), Colin Currie (f), Peter Feeney 0-1 each.

ST BRIGID’S: Alan Nolan; Sean Brady, Jack O’Neill, Eoghan McKeigue; Ciaran Dolan, Cathal Doyle, Donnacha Ryan; Eoghan Dunne, Daire Plunkett; John O’Loughlin, Paul Winters, Cian O’Sullivan; Johnny McGuirk, Derry Murphy, Aodhan McInerney. Subs: Brendan McInerney for Murphy (20), Conor Morris for A McInerney (58).

NA FIANNA: Jonathan Treacy; Sean Burke, Shane Barrett, Cathal Doran; Paul O’Dea, Joey Boland, Padraig Buggy; Feargal Breathnach, Peter Feeney; Gavin King, Maurice Watters, Donal Burke; Colin Currie, Eoghan McHugh, Sean Murphy. Subs: Matthew Oliver for Feeney (40), Seamie O’Sullivan for Currie (45).

Referee: Thomas Gleeson (Naomh Fionnbarra).

By Daire Walsh