Excellent St Brigid’s win their first Division One League title – The Saffron Gael

ACFL Division 1 Finals

St Brigid’s 2-10 Erin’s own Cargin 0-11

There is an old adage that prizes scoring goals and so it was last Friday night in Dunsilly when a couple of key games in the decisive Division One competition between Conor Mc Nicholl and Jack Dowing proved decisive as St Brigid’s lifted the Eddie Fitzsimmons Memorial Trophy for the first time in their history.

Both teams took a while to get going. The teams traded scores early on, with Tomas Cann scoring an opening point and then drawing a response from Conor Mc Aleer.

Both sides were guilty of missed chances, but after Cargin goalkeeper John McNabb scored a 13-0^e In the 45th minute, the city boys’ response came quickly and decisively.

James Smith pointed the ball to put St Brigid’s back ahead and in the following minutes they took the lead.

A point from Conan Mc Nicholl gave them a two-point lead and a mistake in defence from Cargin allowed Jack Duffy to find the net before striker Mc Nicholl followed with a point to give St Brigid’s a 1-04 lead against O-02.

St Brigid’s were now in control and finished the first half strongly, with Paddy Finnegan and Rory Mc Erlean again bringing out the white flag. At the other end, a point from Enda Mc Grogan was Toome’s men’s only answer. At the short whistle St Brigid’s led 1-06 to 0-03 and they made good on their lead.

The second half saw the men from South Belfast get off to a good start with a point from Conan Mc Aleer in the 33rd minute.^rd minute, but a foul on Jamie Gribbin was punished when Tomas Mc Cann fired the subsequent free-kick between the posts.

McCann scored another after another foul on the lively Gribbin and the South West side looked more ready for battle.

Jamie Gribbin added another in the 38^e minute as Cargin enjoyed a spell of dominance but St Brigid’s responded with a second vital goal when striker Conan Mc Nicholl fired the ball into the net after meeting a Reuben Carelton cross, putting the game back in the Musgrave Park side’s favour.

St Brigid’s now led 2-09 to 0-06 and looked set to secure their first league title unless Cargin could pull something out of the fire.

A point from accurate goalkeeper John McNabb offered some hope, but St Brigid’s responded with a point from Conor McAleer before their numbers were reduced when centre-back Shea Downey was shown a second yellow card.

Tomas McCann added another point after a foul on Ronan Devlin, Callum Gribbin followed with another and when his brother Jamie made it 3-0, Toome’s men showed they had no intention of going quietly off the podium.

Cargin, missing a host of regulars, was left on the bench in the closing stages as Gerard Mc Corley, Diarmuid Quinn and Michael Clarke came on and a foul on Jamie Gribbin led to John McNabb slotting the ball between the posts.

They got no closer than that as St Brigid’s held on despite losing Conor Downey to a red card, but at that point the league title was on its way to Musgrave Park for the first time.

Saint Brigid’s: Declan Heery, John Toner, Joe Finnegan, R Boyle, Reuben Carelton, Shea Downey (0-01), Shay Campbell, Jack Dowling (1-00), Michael Cummings, Niall Duffy (0-01), James Smith (0 -01), Conan Mc Nicholl (1-03), Conor Mc Aleer (0-02), Rory Mc Erlean (0-01)

Subtitles

Ben Doherty

B Mc Gurk

Paddy Finnegan

Cardboard: John Mc Nabb (0-03) Paudie Mc Laughlin, Kevin Mc Shane, Ronan Gribbin, Ronan Devlin, James Laverty, Jack Harney, Gerard Mc Cann, John Carron, Callum Gribbin (0-01), Jamie Gribbin (0-02) , Enda Mc Groggan (0-01), Tomas Mc Cann (0-04),

Referee: Paddy Tumelty (Lamh Dhearg)

For more photos of Bert and Paddy from the competition, click on the link below

https://myalbum.com/album/LE7E7jzFWcuJrk/?invite=adb4e1be-eb47-4da3-bce0-da54c0a252ff

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