O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division One
St Brigid's 1-14 Creggan 0-8
A BLISTERING 10 minutes in the second half when they rattled off nine points without reply saw St Brigid's maintain their 100 per cent record in Division One at Musgrave Park on Wednesday.
The Biddies were never behind in this game, but Creggan were right on their shoulder for 42 minutes when the hosts went into overdrive to put real daylight between the teams on what was a sunny evening in the city.
Heading into the game, both sides had won their opening three fixtures, so this was an intriguing game to see where they are at and the South Belfast side would eventually find their scoring touch after the first half saw both teams squander a number of chances.
This was the case early on as both had shots short, while Creggan's Joe McAteer have a shot drop onto the top of the crossbar, then bounce up onto the post and drop back out to safety which maybe was a sign of things to come for Kickham's.
Eventually, James Smith curled over for the hosts after five minutes and while Conor Small responded with the first of his six points of the evening from a mark, Smith would then burst through on 11 minutes and finish past Oisin Kerr.
This gave the home side a lead they would never relinquish, bunter did they really build on it in the first half as the chances came and went for both.
McAteer would dummy and pass out to Keelan McCann for a fine Creggan score, while Conan McNicholl hit back with a free for the Biddies to leave that goal between them after 14 minutes, but a further 13 would pass before we had another score as Small passed out to Tiernan McLarnon to curl over and Small kicked an injury-time free to barrow the gap to one at the half with St Brigid's leading 1-2 to 0-4.
The start of the second half was also a slow burner but eventually this game would come to life with Oran Downey finishing two fine moves to leave a goal between them and although Small replied with a pair of frees to leave the minimum in it once more, the hosts would soon click fully into life.
O’Neills ACFL Div 1
— St Brigids GAC (@Naomhbridclg) April 17, 2024
Full Time Naomh Bríd: 1-14(17)
Creggan: 0-8(8)
A super 2nd half performance from the seniors, with Smith and McAleer picking off a number of excellent scores. Defensive set up the basis for the performance.
The run of nine points began with the impressive James Smith again racing in on goal and this time fisting over. Conor McAleer would kick a free before half-time substitute Peter Lundy thumped over and then turned provider for Ronan Boyle to score as suddenly there was five between them.
Creggan's kick-out was now malfunctioning as St Brigid's were winning everything and after Michael Cummings added another to put six between them, it would get worse for the visitors on 49 minutes as Tiernan McLarnon would be shown black for a drag down. McAleer kicked the free but there was no let-up from St Brigid's as Niall Duffy got in on the act, McAleer converted another free and Smith brought his tally for the evening to 1-3 as the gap was now out to 10 in what seemed the blink of an eye.
The game was over now and although Small kicked frees either side of McAleer's fourth of the evening, they were mere consolation with Joseph Finnegan close to putting a real gloss on it for the hosts late, but his shot cannoned off the bar.
It wouldn't matter as the points were long since in the bag as St Brigid's maintained their winning start to the season.
ST BRIGID'S: D Heery; F McKernan, P King, J McCarney; R Carleton, J Finnegan, S Campbell; R Boyle (0-1), M Cummings (0-1); J Logue, O Downey (0-2), J Smith (1-3); N Duffy (0-1), C McNicholl (0-1f), C McAleer (0-4, 3f).
Subs: P Lundy (0-1) for J Logue (HT), J Toner for J McCarney (54), R McErlean for C McNicholl (54), S Boyle for M Cummings (58), B McGurk for P King (58).
CREGGAN: O Kerr; C McCann, E Carey-Small, Jake McAteer; A Maguire, R McCann, O Hampsey; K McCann (0-1), D McGuckin; S Duffin, Joe McAleer, T McLarnon (0-1); D McAteer, A McKeown, C Small (0-6, 5f, 1m).
Subs: P Coey for A McKeown (HT), D McCann for D McGuckin (53), S McAuley for O Hampsey (57).
REFEREE: R Matthews (Rossa)
Wednesday's results
O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division One
Aldergrove 3-6 Cargin 3-15
O'Donovan Rossa 2-8 Glenravel 0-11
St Gall's 2-13 St John's 3-9
Naomh Éanna 1-6 Portglenone 2-11
Ballymena 5-13 Tír na nÓg 3-9
Ahoghill 1-12 Aghagallon 1-14
Moneyglass P-P Lámh Dhearg
O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division Two
Gort na Móna 0-11 St Paul's 4-11
St Patrick's, Lisburn 0-11 Davitt's 0-11
Sarsfield's 0-11 St Teresa's 2-6
Glenavy 1-14 Ardoyne 0-8
Dunloy P-P Rasharkin
O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division Three
Wolfe Tones 0-3 St Comgall's 3-20
O'Donnell's 2-12 St Malachy's 1-10
Pearse's 2-9 Éire Óg 2-10
Laochra Loch Lao 2-12 St Agnes' 1-9