O'Neills Sportswear Antrim Football League Division One final                                                                          
St Brigid’s 2-10 Erin’s Own, Cargin 0-11

GOALS in each half proved decisive as St Brigid's captured Division One football honours for the first time in their history at Dunsilly on Friday.

Niall Duffy and Conan McNicholl were the men to raise green for the South Belfast side as they got their hands on the Eddie Fitzsimons Memorial Trophy to round off an excellent league campaign ahead of the championship.

Both teams took a time to settle to the task at hand, exchanging early scores with Tomás McCann’s opening point replied to by Conor McAleer.

Following some missed opportunities for both, Cargin net-minder John McNabb despatched a 13th-minute ‘45’ between the posts, the reply from the city lads was quick and decisive.

James Smith pointed to bring St Brigid’s back on terms and in the next few minutes they took the lead.

A Conan McNicholl point gave them a two point advantage and a mix-up in the Cargin defence opened the way for Niall Duffy to find the net before corner forward McNicholl followed with a point to help the Biddies into a 1-4 to 0-2 lead.

St Brigid’s were now dictating matters and finished the half strongly with Paddy Finnegan and Rory McErlean raising further white flags with an Enda McGrogan point at the other end for the Toome men their only reply and at the short whistle, St Brigid’s led 1-6 to 0-3 and were good value for their lead.

The second half saw the South Belfast men begin brightly with a Conan McAleer point in the 33rd minute, but a foul on Jamie Gribbin was punished when Tomás McCann delivered the resultant free between the posts.

McCann added another following another foul on the lively Gribbin and the South West side was starting to look more up for the fight.

Jamie Gribbin added another in the 38th minute as Cargin enjoyed a spell of dominance but St Brigid’s responded with a second major when corner forward Conan McNicholl fired to the back of the net after fielding a cross from Reuben Carelton and the game had swung back in favour of the Musgrave Park side.

St Brigid’s now led 2-9 to 0-6 and looked to have secured their first league title unless Cargin could pull something out of the fire.

Another point from the accurate boot of John McNabb offered some hope but St Brigid’s replied with a point from Conor McAleer before being reduced in number when centre back Shea Downey picked up a second yellow card.

Tomás McCann added a point from a placed effort following a foul on Ronan Devlin and Callum Gribbin followed with another. When his brother Jamie made it three on the bounce, the Toome men had posted notice they were not about to quietly leave the stage.

Cargin, who were missing quite a number of regulars, looked to the their bench in the latter stages with Gerard McCorley, Diarmuid Quinn and Michael Clarke entering the fray and a foul on Jamie Gribbin saw John McNabb deliver between the posts.

That was as close as they got as St Brigid’s stood firm despite losing Conor Downey to a red card, but by this stage the league title was on its way to Musgrave Park for the first time.

ST BRIGID'S: D Heery; J Toner, J Finnegan, R Boyle; R Carelton, S Downey (0-1), S Campbell; J Dowling (1-0), M Cummings; N Duffy (0-1), P Finnegan, J Smith (0-1); C McNicholl (1-3), C McAleer (0-2), R McErlean (0-1).
Subs: B Doherty for R Boyle, B McGurk for R Carleton, C Downey for R McErlean, F Sherry for P Finnegan

CARGIN: J Mc Nabb (0-3); P McLaughlin, K McShane, R Gribbin; R Devlin, J Laverty, J Harney; G McCann, J Carron; C Gribbin (0-1), J Gribbin (0-2), E McGrogan (0-1), T McCann (0-4), 

REFEREE: Paddy Tumelty (Lámh Dhearg)