Northern Switchgear Antrim Senior Football Championship, quarter-final
St Brigid's 0-13 O'Donovan Rossa 0-10

A STRONG second half saw St Brigid's through to the Antrim Senior Football Championship semi-finals as they got the better of O'Donovan Rossa at Corrigan Park on Sunday.

A classic this was not, but that will not matter to the South Belfast side who were worthy winners as they just had that bit more going forward and a good spell in the final quarter of the game saw them build a good lead they would maintain to the final whistle.

Tactically, the Biddies were spot on with Ronan Boyle initially picking up Dominic McEnhill, but the Rossa man always had a couple of players for company when the ball was played inside and space was at a premium for the West Belfast men who couldn't build on a decent opening period.

The first half never really got going with both teams content to keep the ball in the face of packed defences, but Eoghan McMenamin decided enough was enough five minutes in to thump Rossa into the lead.

McEnhill doubled the advantage from a free before St Bridig'ds got off the mark after nine minutes through an Enda Downey free.

The Lavey native would be reliable from the placed ball as he replied to a Mick Byrne 45 and then then again after James Smith curled the South Belfast side's only point from play in the opening half to help them into a lead.

Cormac McGettigan is challenged by James Smith and Peter King
2Gallery

Cormac McGettigan is challenged by James Smith and Peter King

It was a brief one as McEnhill replied immediately and Rossa were back in front through Cormac McGettigan and another from Byrne, but they could have been further ahead but for a couple of straightforward looking frees going wide and Diarmuid Rogan seeing his shot at goal from close range charged down.

As it was, Rossa led 0-6 to 0-5 at the break as Downey pulled one back with his fourth free of a fairly low-key first half.

It didn't exactly explode into life after the break with Paul Bradley levelling early from a free and Byrne nudging Rossa back in front, but this would prove to be his side's last score for 20 minutes as the Biddies took control of this game across the field and eventually on the scoreboard.

Downey levelled it from another free and goalkeeper Declan Heery then landed one of his own to edge them ahead in the 46th minute and there they would stay.

Three points from play in the space of five minutes through Bradley, Matthew Downey and Reuben Carleton put daylight between them and left Rossa with a mountain to climb in the closing stages given the nature of this game.

Adam Devlin ended that barren spell for the Jeremiahs to leave a goal in it but they were unable to carve out a clear-cut opening with another long-range Heery free putting four between them in stoppage time.

Converted frees from Byrne and McEnhill brought Rosa back to within striking distance, but St Brigid's managed to get their hands on the ball and drain the clock, then turning Rossa over as hey looked to mount a last charge with John Morgan kicking a point on the breakaway with Byrne racing back.

They would hold firm and not allow Rossa that goal opening they badly needed as St Brigid's advanced to a meeting with Cargin in a fortnight. 

ST BRIGID'S: D Heery (0-2 frees); F McKernan, J Finnegan, J Morgan (0-1); R Carleton (0-1), P King, R Boyle; F Meenagh, J Dowling; S Downey, O Downey, J Smith (0-1); E Downey (0-5 frees), C McNicholl, P Bradley (0-2, 1 free).
Subs: M Downey (0-1) for C McNicholl (27), N Duffy for O Downey (53), E Carleton for P Bradley (60+1)

ROSSA: M Byrne (0-4, 3 frees, 1 45); P Moyes, C McGuinness; C Orchin; J Morris, A Devlin (0-1), R Gowdy; C McGettigan (0-1), G Walsh; E McMenamin (0-1), S Beatty, D Rogan; N Crossan, D McEnhill (0-3 frees), T Morgan.
Subs: M Mallon for C McGuinness (46), D Rocks for D Rogan (46), D Grego for P Moyes (54)

REFEREE: Brendan Toland (Lámh Dhearg)