St Brigids Beat Whitehall To Move Clear At Summit Of Go Ahead AHL Division One North Table

GO AHEAD ADULT HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION ONE NORTH

ST BRIGID’S 1-21

WHITEHALL COLMCILLE 0-10

By Daire Walsh

St Brigid’s moved two points clear at the top of the Go Ahead Adult Hurling League Division One North table with a convincing 14-point triumph over Whitehall Colmcille at Russell Park last night.

No fewer than 11 players got their names on the scoresheet as the Navan Road outfit made it three wins from three for 2021. Following previous victories at the expense of Naomh Barrog and Craobh Chiarain, Brigid’s preserved their 100% record in the top-flight.

With just two rounds remaining in Division One North, Brigid’s are currently well in contention for a league final spot. While Na Fianna and St Vincent’s are two points adrift of the pace-setters with a game in hand, they are set to clash at Pairc Naomh Uinsionn tomorrow evening (throw-in 7.30pm).

Although there was a strong spread of scores throughout the Brigid’s team in their third competitive fixture of the year, Eoghan Dunne’s five-point haul from open play certainly caught the eye.

Supplementing a 0-3 haul by Ciaran Kellett, Diarmuid Breslin bagged 1-1 off the bench in the second half. Half-backs Luke Allen and Daire Plunkett also chipped in with a point apiece for the victors, who will next face Na Fianna at St Mobhi Road on July 28.

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Central attackers Mikey Noonan and Peter Hunt did their utmost to keep Whitehall in the reckoning and they persevered with their challenge to the bitter end. They will also be back in action on Wednesday week - a home encounter against Naomh Barrog at Collins Avenue.

On an extremely humid evening, Dunne and wing-forward Conal Burke got the ball rolling for Brigid’s with unanswered points. Gary Howard responded with a fine score under pressure at the opposite end, but this only offered Whitehall a brief respite.

In the space of just eight minutes, Cian McCarthy, Johnny McGuirk (son of the Brigid’s coach of the same name), Plunkett, Kellett, Allen and Adam McGuirk found the target to give the hosts a commanding seven-point cushion in the 14th-minute. Whitehall eventually found their feet, however, and had reduced their deficit to four (0-8 to 0-4) in time for the first water break.

Centre half-back Dillon Constantine ended a significant scoring drought with an excellent point from long-distance, before Hunt and Noonan (free) also raised white flags to increase the visiting team’s chances of success.

Following the resumption in play after a brief interlude, it took both teams a while to settle back into the groove. Brigid’s ultimately enhanced their advantage through inside forwards Dunne and Adam McGuirk, but a superb Hunt effort out towards the left-wing ensured Whitehall weren’t out of the running just yet.

Either side of another Noonan free, the increasingly-dangerous Dunne added a brace of points. He had a glorious opportunity to rattle the net deep into stoppage-time, when referee Thomas Gleeson awarded Brigid’s a penalty for a foul on Johnny McGuirk.

Dunne stepped forward with confidence, only to see his fierce strike rebounding off the crossbar. Nevertheless, St Brigid’s remained six points to the good (0-12 to 0-6) at the interval and on the verge of another win.

A dramatic Whitehall fightback was still a live possibility on the restart, but the 35th-minute introduction of Breslin helped Brigid’s to effectively place the outcome beyond doubt. Within two minutes of his arrival on the scene, the lively substitute cut inside from the right and fired beyond the reach of opposition netminder Jack Darcy.

He also struck a point after Johnny McGuirk knocked over a placed ball from 35 metres, in advance of another excellent Kellett contribution. 12 points ahead moving into the final-quarter, Brigid’s were sending out a signal of intent with their Senior ‘A’ Hurling Championship campaign - which will see them taking on defending champions Cuala, Kilmacud Crokes and Thomas Davis in the group stages - set to get underway in September.

They were perhaps less explosive in the closing moments of the proceedings, whilst still having some bright moments in attack. Dunne, Kellett and Burke rounded off their impressive individual performances with well-worked points.

Breslin wasn’t alone in making an impact as a second period replacement, with Conor Sheehan (two) and James O’Connell finding the range to boost their future selection prospects.

For their part, Whitehall reserves Niall Carroll and Derry Noonan also added their names to the scoresheet. Their team’s search for a maiden win continues, but there will be chances for them to open their account as the 2021 season begins to gather pace.

Scorers - St Brigid’s:Eoghan Dunne 0-5, Diarmuid Breslin 1-1, Ciaran Kellett 0-3, Johnny McGuirk (f), Conor Sheehan (f), Conal Burke, Adam McGuirk 0-2 each, Luke Allen, Daire Plunkett, Cian McCarthy, James O’Connell 0-1 each.Whitehall Colmcille:Mikey Noonan 0-4 (4f), Peter Hunt 0-2, Dillon Constantine, Gary Howard, Niall Carroll, Derry Noonan 0-1 each.

ST BRIGID’S:Eoin Cole; Jack O’Neill, Mark Kavanagh, Cathal Doyle; Luke Allen, Daire Plunkett, Ciaran Dolan; Cian McCarthy, Keith Mullally; Ciaran Kellett, Johnny McGuirk, Conal Burke; Adam McGuirk, Karl Rogers, Eoghan Dunne.Subs:Diarmuid Breslin, James O’Connell, Sam Mulholland, Conor Sheehan, Matt Barr, Kevin Callaghan, Eoin O’Hara, Cian McEntyre, Eoin Leen.

WHITEHALL COLMCILLE:Jack Darcy; Paddy Giles, Sean Kellett, Adam Cullen; Josh Thorp, Dillon Constantine, Niall Molloy; Martin Hunt, Niall O’Connor; Stephen Cassedy, Mikey Noonan, Sean Giles; Cian Boland, Peter Hunt, Gary Howard.Subs:Niall Carroll, Derry Noonan, Rory Kearns, Tadgh Kellett, Niall Power, Sean Kearns.

Referee:Thomas Gleeson (Naomh Fionnbarra).