Antrim Senior Football Championship - Semi-Final
Dunloy 0-8
St Brigid's 0-17
At Dunsilly
ST BRIGID'S earned their first ever appearance in the Antrim Senior Football Championship final after a second-half attacking masterclass sent champions Dunloy to exit the championship and earn the Biddies the first spot in the 2026 final.
A nine-point victory in Dunsilly in a very comprehensive second-half saw St Brigid's absolutely dominate in one of their best performances to date in the Senior Championship.
Dunloy opened the scoring after just two minutes when Conal Cunning clipped over a neat point, but JJ Higgins quickly replied for St Brigid’s. The Biddies then hit two quick scores through Joseph Finnegan and Niall Duffy to move 0-3 to 0-1 ahead.
Dunloy responded in style when Seaan Elliott marked his first touch with a superb two-pointer, before Cunning added another to put the champions back in front.
Keelan Molloy stretched the Dunloy advantage to two with a free, but St Brigid’s refused to let them settle.
Finnegan produced another fine clipped effort before Higgins curled over from the corner to bring the sides level.
The opening half had plenty of intensity, with neither defence willing to give an inch and both attacks showing enough quality to keep the contest finely poised.
Dunloy looked capable of causing problems when they got Elliott and Cunning involved, while Higgins and Finnegan were proving equally influential at the other end.
Neither side could find a decisive score before the break, leaving the teams level at 0-5 apiece when the interval came.
The complexion of the game changed immediately after the restart.
Dara Quinn restored St Brigid’s lead within a minute, only for Cunning to respond for Dunloy and bring the Cuchullains level for the final time.
Higgins then put the Biddies back in front before Niall Duffy landed an excellent score to make it a two-point game.
St Brigid's will make their first ever appearance in the final
Dunloy were now facing their first significant spell of pressure. St Brigid’s were moving the ball with greater purpose and, crucially, finding their forwards in better positions.
Joe Logan produced one of the scores of the evening when he twice used his feet to dummy his marker before calmly splitting the posts.
Shay Campbell followed with another point to open up a four-point advantage, while Higgins continued to punish the Dunloy defence with another well-taken score.
The Cuchullains needed a response and Eoin McFerran provided it with a fine point in the 47th minute.
Their inability to win first or second balls from shot-stopper Chrissy McMahon's kickouts proved a disaster and St Brigid's had an answer with almost every turnover providing a shooting opportunity.
For a brief spell it offered Dunloy a route back into the contest, but St Brigid’s immediately answered through James Smith.
The Biddies were now dictating the tempo and forcing Dunloy into difficult shooting positions. Their ability to keep the scoreboard ticking over ensured the champions never managed to build any sustained momentum.
Paul Bradley then fired over a superb two-pointer to put St Brigid’s firmly in command with ten minutes remaining.
Dunloy continued to battle, but St Brigid’s were defending their advantage intelligently and restricting the champions to limited opportunities.
Higgins added yet another score in the 57th minute, further underlining his influence on the contest.
Elliott converted a late free for Dunloy, but it was little more than consolation as the Biddies responded instantly.
James Smith had the final say for St Brigid’s, landing another score as the South Belfast side completed a comprehensive victory with nine points separating the sides and the Biddies arguably could have doubled the difference with multiple wides.
The champions had been in the contest for 30 minutes, but St Brigid’s second-half surge proved decisive as they secured their place in the county final.
DUNLOY XV: C McMahon; C Kinsella, A Crawford, R Cunning; A McGarry, R McGarry, L McFerran; C Cunning 0-3, E McFerran 0-1; E O'Neill, S Elliot 0-3 (1xTP), T McFerran; B McCloskey, K Molloy 0-1 (1F), N Elliot
Subs: Eoin McGrath on for Eoin O’Neill, Charli Cunning on for Tom McFerran
ST BRIGID’S XV: D Heery; O Downey, J Morgan, S Campbell 0-1; S Downey, J Finnegan 0-2, R McGrady; J Dowling, P Finnegan; R Boyle, D Quinn 0-2, P Bradley 0-2 (1xTP); N Duffy 0-2, J Smith 0-2, JJ Higgins 0-5
Subs: Joe Logan 0-1 on for Ronan McGrady
