Vincents & Brigids Play Out Thrilling Go Ahead AHL Division One Draw

GO AHEAD ADULT HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION ONE NORTH 

ST VINCENT’S 2-19 

ST BRIGID’S 3-16 

By Daire Walsh 

St Brigid’s produced a strong final-quarter at Pairc Naomh Uinsionn on Friday evening to earn a draw with St Vincent’s in Division One North of the Go Ahead Adult Hurling League. 

Trailing by eight points with just 12 minutes of normal left to play, the Russell Park men outscored their opponents 3-3 to 0-4 to secure a share of the spoils in dramatic fashion. Substitute Donnacha Ryan, Eoghan Dunne and Johnny McGuirk all found the net during this juncture as Brigid’s pulled out all the stops to deny the hosts a fourth victory for the term.

McGuirk - whose father, Johnny Sr, is a key figure in the St Brigid’s management team - finished the game with 1-8 to his name and Ryan contributed an impressive tally of 1-2 off the bench. Matching the exploits of his opposite netminder Dara Perry, inter-county netminder Alan Nolan got in on the scoring act on a night when every score proved vital.

A total of 10 players found the target for Vincent’s over the course of the contest, with corner-forward Alan Moore emerging as scorer-in-chief with a final haul of 0-5. Sean O Cuanachain and Darach McBride rattled the net in the opening period to offer the Marino side considerable leeway, while Thomas Connolly (brother of former Dublin senior footballer Diarmuid), Eoghan O’Neill and Rian McBride all chipped in with 0-3 apiece.

Coming into this game, both Vincent’s and Brigid’s were level on six points with Na Fianna at the summit of the table.

As a result of their triumph at the expense of Naomh Barrog in Kilbarrack on the same evening, it is Na Fianna who finished on top of Division One North with Brigid’s in the runners-up position - ahead of Vincent’s on score difference.

Vins had appeared on course for top honours - and, by extension, a place in the forthcoming AHL Division One decider - until their Navan Road counterparts staged their late rally. Nevertheless, it has been a productive league overall for both themselves and Brigid’s and will have served as perfect preparation for their respective Dublin Senior Hurling Championship campaigns.

It was the visitors who drew first blood with a Ciaran Kellett point straight from the throw-in, but Vins were quick to respond. A brace of Moore scores got them up and running, before midfielders McGuirk (free) and Connolly traded points at opposite ends.

O Cuanachain provided Vins with a direct option on the inside line and he made a telling impact in the seventh-minute. After expertly fetching a cross-field delivery, he rifled a low shot beyond the reach of Nolan for the maiden goal of the contest.

Stephen McCarry proceeded to cancel out a Keith Mullally contribution for Brigid’s, in advance of Vins’ second goal with just nine minutes gone on the clock. Hard-working wing-forward Darach McBride turned over possession inside the opposition ’45’, raced through on goal and got the better of Nolan with a composed finish.

Either side of a Dunne point for Brigid’s, Moore (free) and dynamic half-back O’Neill found the range to move the home team eight in front. It remained this way following swapped efforts by McGuirk and Vins attacker Kyle Ward, though a monstrous Nolan free and McGuirk's sole score from play did offer Brigid’s some much-needed solace.

The dependable McGuirk enhanced his scoring stats with another brace of frees but, in addition to O’Neill’s second of the half, Vins shotstopper Perry picked off an extraordinary open play score from deep inside his half.

Mark O’Farrell and the prolific O’Neill added to their side’s tally and while McGuirk ended the half with a sixth point, Brigid’s found themselves seven in arrears at the interval (2-11 to 0-10).

It was largely thanks to their first-quarter blitz that Vins were in such a commanding position, but there was no clear indication they were about to let it slip from their grasp. Even though half-time substitute Donnacha Ryan contributed a 0-2 salvo to supplement yet another free, two points apiece from Rian McBride and Moore had Vins 2-15 to 0-13 to the good inside the closing-quarter.

It was at this point, however, that Brigid’s finally discovered their very best form. McGuirk got the ball rolling with a close-range score and Ryan subsequently shook the net after being picked out in space on the stroke of 50 minutes.

With momentum now on their side, Brigid’s went on to reduce their deficit to two points with back-to-back efforts from Diarmuid Breslin. Vins looked to have settled with a Connolly free, but their lead was wiped out on 58 minutes, when a Dunne sideline floated all the way into the back of the net.

Despite this set-back, Vins once again reasserted their authority with unanswered points courtesy of McCarry, Rian McBride and Connolly. This looked like being enough to get them over the line, but - with three minutes of stoppage-time already played - McGuirk stepped up to a 25-metre free and drilled a powerful strike past a slew of St Vincent’s bodies.

This turned out to be the final act of a pulsating affair, which both teams will hope to benefit from in the long-run.

Scorers - St Vincent’s:Alan Moore 0-5 (4f), Darach McBride, Sean O Cuanachain 1-0 each, Thomas Connolly (2f), Eoghan O’Neill, Rian McBride 0-3 each, Stephen McCarry 0-2, Dara Perry, Kyle Ward, Mark O’Farrell 0-1 each.St Brigid’s:Johnny McGuirk 1-8 (1-7f), Donnacha Ryan 1-2, Eoghan Dunne 1-1 (1-0 s/line), Diarmuid Breslin 0-2, Alan Nolan (f), Keith Mullally, Ciaran Kellett 0-1 each.

ST VINCENT’S:Dara Perry; Neal Billings, Simon Gormley, Mark O’Keefe; Eoghan O’Neill, Brian Bolger, Oisin Lanigan; Thomas Connolly, Rian McBride; Kyle Ward, Mark O’Farrell, Darach McBride; Alan Moore, Sean O Cuanachain, Stephen McCarry.Subs:David Garland, Sean Mulcahy, Chris McCarry.

ST BRIGID’S:Alan Nolan; Cathal Doyle, Mark Kavanagh, Jack O’Neill; Ciaran Dolan, Daire Plunkett, Matt Barr; Keith Mullally, Johnny McGuirk; Ciaran Kellett, Eoghan Dunne, Conal Burke; Diarmuid Breslin, Brian Moran, Luke Purtill.Subs:Luke Allen, Donnacha Ryan, Kevin Callaghan, Cian McCarthy, Ruairi Convery.

Referee:Peter Smyth (O’Toole’s).