O’Brien on the double as Brigid’s defeat Jude’s in SHC ‘A’ (Group 3)

DUBLIN SHC 'A' GROUP 3 ROUND 2

ST BRIGID'S 3-17 ST JUDE'S 1-17

The Russell Park men added evidence to the theory that goals win matches when they struck on three occasions in Wednesday night's Dublin SHC 'A' Group 3 clash at Parnell Park.

It wasn't just the boost of three-pointers it was also the timing of them with Cian O'Sullivan's goal in first half added time, after Jude's had looked to be holding a stronger hand, which inspired their victory, their second of the group stage following their opening round win against Whitehall Colmcille.

Brigid's face Faughs in their last group game but have already booked their quarter-final spot as have St Vincent's and Lucan Sarsfields (Group 1), Kilmacud Crokes (Group 2), Na Fianna and Cuala (Group 4).

Brigid's also goaled in the opening attack of the game when full-forward Cathal O'Brien pulled overhead to double the sliotar to Gerard Hogan's net to give his side a great start.

O'Brien's goal was followed within a minute by a Keith Mullally point from play as Johnny McGuirk's side settled well.

Danny Sutcliffe sparked Jude's to life with a free before firing an excellent point from 55 metres on the run but a brilliant sideline cut by Eoghan Dunne had Brigid's 1-2 to 0-2 up by the fifth minute as this entertaining duel started at a great pace.

Then Jude's got a grip on the game to hit eight unanswered points kick-started by Diarmuid McLoughlin's stylish effort when coming in off the left flank.

Points from Shane O'Brien and Fionn O Riain Broin brought the sides level, 1-2 to 0-5, by the tenth minute as the Tymon North began to take over.

Sutcliffe added another fine point and a monster free either side of a John Carty score, following a long puckout from Hogan to make it 0-8 to 1-2 to Jude's.

Hogan was again centre stage on two occasions before and after the water break when he brilliantly denied goal attempts by firstly Ciarán Kellett and then Cian O'Sullivan.

Carty tagged on his second point from play and Sutcliffe his third free and fifth point in total as Jude's moved five points clear, 0-10 to 1-2.

But a Paul Winters point, Brigid's first in 24 minutes, briefly cut the gap before Sutcliffe was again on target with a deadball.

Crucially before the interval Brigid's stormed back with a Winters point and well-taken goal by Cian O'Sullivan when he rifled to the roof of the net from a tricky angle.

Brigid's kept their scoring goal on the restart with a Cathal Doyle point and after Sutcliffe converted another free points from inside forwards Cathal O'Brien and Cian O'Sullivan saw Brigid's two up, 2-8 to 0-12.

Jude's though were relying now too heavily on the accuracy of Sutcliffe frees for scores while Eoghan Dunne, Paul Winters, sub Kevin Callaghan, Cian O'Sullivan and Eoghan Dunne again split the posts for the Dublin 15 men.

Inside the concluding quarter a Fionn O Riain Broin point left three in it, 2-13 to 0-16.

It was Brigid's, however, who finished out the game more impressively with scores from Cathal O'Brien, a Cian O'Sullivan free from halfway and O'Brien's second goal, when batting to the net after the sliotar rebounded off the crossbar which saw them progress to a six-point victory and book their berth in the quarter-finals.

Jude's best performer Sutcliffe did get a goal before the finish, when finding the net with a free to bring his tally to 1-10 (1-8f).