Rock fires Mun into SFC quarter-finals

Mon, 10th October 2016

BALLYMUN KICKHAMS 1-16 ST BRIGID'S 0-13

Ballymun Kickhams held off a battling St Brigid's by six points in Sunday's Dublin SFC second round encounter at Parnell Park.

Dean Rock was the scoring star of the show for the Mun with a personal tally of 1-9 (0-6f, 0-1 '45').

Kickhams settled early and were 0-4 to 0-1 up inside 15 minutes despite John O'Loughlin doing very well for Brigid's at centrefield.

They could have moved further ahead three minutes later but Shane Supple produced the second great save of the match to firstly deny Leon Young before Ted Furman had his rebound effort diverted out for a '45'.

Earlier in the half Supple superbly tipped an goal effort from the influential Jason Whelan around the post.

However, by the break the Mun were 1-7 to 0-3 clear after Rock had found a way past the Brigid's netminder in the 28th minute following good work from the industrious Kevin Leahy.

Points on the restart from Rock (free) and sub Liam O'Donovan stretched Ballymun's advantage.

But following the introduction of Kevin Bonner at full-forward for Brigid's they came more into the contest.

Bonner kicked two points while Paddy Andrews began to find his accuracy as the Russell Park men began to enjoy their best period of the contest before Ballymun ran out six-point victors.

SCORERS - Ballymun Kickhams: D Rock 1-9 (0-6f, 0-1 ‘45’), P Small, J Whelan, L O’Donovan 0-2 each, K Leahy 0-1. St Brigid’s: P Andrews 0-5 (0-2f), L McCarthy 0-3 (0-1f, 0-1 ‘45’), P Ryan (0-2f), K Bonner 0-2 each, C Carr 0-1.

BALLYMUN KICKHAMS: S Currie; Eoin Dolan, P McMahon; J Burke, J McCarthy, J Small; A Elliott, D Byrne; D Rock, J Whelan, K Leahy; P Small, T Furman, A Hubbard. Subs: K Connolly for Elliott (10), L O’Donovan for Furman (26, BC), E Reilly for McCarthy (half-time), D Keating for Small (59), Enda Dolan for Young (63).

ST BRIGID’S: S Supple; C Freeman, C Lynch, J Mullins; G Kane, C Doyle, A Daly; M Cahill, J O’Loughlin; N Davey, C Mullins, L McCarthy; P Ryan, P Andrews, E Mulligan. Subs: K Bonner for Davey and S Murray for C Mullins (half-time), F Maher for Freeman (40), A McCarrick for Daly (45), C Carr for Doyle and N O’Dea for McCarthy (48).

REF: G McCormack (Naomh Barróg).