O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division One
St Brigid's 2-13 Glenravel 1-8
ST BRIGID'S made it three wins from three as a strong first-half performance set them on their way against Glenavel at a sunny Musgrave Park on Wednesday.
This was a make-up game from the opening round, so the outcome leaves a four-way tie of teams with 100 per cent records at the top of the table.
The outcome was as good as decided at the break with the Biddies 10 points to the good and although the men from the Glens improved after the break, they could never get to within striking distance.
St Brigid's were immediately on the front foot with Paul Bradley fisting over within the opening seconds, while Conan McNicholl doubled their advantage.
A superb kick-out by goalkeeper Declan Heery found Bradley who put in Cathal Conway for a score before the visitors got off the mark through Aidan O'Donnell.
But there was no breaking the home momentum with Bradley hitting back immediately and Enda Downey kicking a free before the game's first goal after nine minutes as Shea Downey made a break through the middle, sold a beautiful dummy and passed out to Ryan Tweedy who had the easiest task of finishing to the empty net.
Glenravel hit back with a goal of their own just three minutes later as an excellent long ball was fetched by O'Donnell who put Declan Traynor in to finish low to the net.
Once again, St Brigid's found a reply as Bradley kicked his third of the half with his left boot and then Tweedy grabbed his second goal in the space of seven minutes and this time, Dara Quinn was the provider as he cut in on the right and found his team-mate who thumped home.
Quinn got a score of his own before Tweedy was denied a hat-trick of goals as Jonathan Fyfe saved low at point-blank range, but Conor King did curl a score soon after.
Glenravel ended a barren 17 minutes from an O'Donnell free, but the hosts would have the final say of the opening period from a Heery 45 as they went in at the break with a very healthy 2-9 to 1-2 lead.
The gap was pushed out to 11 early in the second period with Reuben Carleton curling over, but Glenravel enjoyed a decent spell with three brilliantly-taken points on the spin as O'Donnell curled one either side of efforts from half-time substitute Rian Lennon.
Still, the hosts steadied with scores from Tweedy and Conor McAleer to leave 10 between them heading into the final straight.
Glenravel would rattle off another three on the bounce late on with Daniel McQuillan and Fergus Donnelly assisting O'Donnell, but perhaps it was fitting that Paul Bradley, who had the opening score of the game, had the final say with his fourth of the evening to wrap up the win for the South Belfast men.
ST BRIGID'S: D Heery (0-1, 1x45); N Finnegan, C King (0-1), J McCarney; S Campbell, S Downey, R Carleton (0-1); C Conway (0-1), M Cummings; D Quinn (0-1), E Downey (0-1f), P Bradley (0-4); B Doherty, C McNicholl (0-1), R Tweedy (2-1).
Subs: E Sherry for S Campbell (12), C McAleer (0-1) for E Downey (26), F Meenan for S Downey (33), S O'Hare for C Conway 952), D Magee for D Quinn (56).
GLENRAVEL: J Fyfe; D McAuley, E McCusker, R McCormick; E Ward, D McQuillan (0-1), C Henry; D Higgins, S Higgins; C Higgins, F Donnelly (0-1), J Martin; A O'Donnell (0-4, 2f), S McKay, D Traynor (1-0).
Sub: F Lennon (0-2) for D Higgins (HT).
REFEREE: Colin Thompson (St John's)
