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ST BRIGID’S 1-22
ST VINCENT’S 0-21
An injury-time goal by Jonathan McGuirk helped St Brigid’s to overcome 14-man St Vincent’s by four points in their Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Hurling Championship Group 2 clash at Parnell Park on Friday night.
St Brigid’s held the upper hand at half-time (0-12 to 0-10) as Paul Winters scored eight first-half frees with St Vincent’s further inconvenienced by the dismissal of Cillian O’Neill in the 27th minute.
St Vincent’s more than held their own after the break but a flurry of late scores from their opponents that culminated in McGuirk’s scruffy kicked effort clinched a deserved win for Blanchardstown outfit.
It was the locals that opened the scoring through Stephen Williams in the 2nd minute with Winters levelling matters when he converted a straightforward free three minutes later.
A sublime score by Cian O’Sullivan edged St Brigid’s in front soon after as they benefited from some wasteful Vinnies shooting with Conor Burke culpable as he registered three early wides.
The tightness continued as St Vincent’s eventually found their range through scores from play by John Hetherton and Mark Sweeney and they regained the lead by the 11th minute after a wonderful, slaloming run by Conor Dolan.
However, after Diarmuid Breslin had restored parity in an instant, the free-taking of Winters took hold as he struck four further points by the 21st minute while Jack Hannon added a cracking score from distance to increase the St Brigid’s lead.
Controversy followed when St Vincent’s were reduced to fourteen players in the 27th minute as Cillian O’Neill was dismissed for a second yellow card with the corner-back seemingly unaware of having received his initial booking.
That sense of injustice spurred Vinnies on for the final minutes of the half as two Hetherton scores and another by Tom Connolly reduced their deficit to two points by the interval.
That momentum was maintained upon the restart as Brian Bolger and Hetherton (free) levelled matters before the latter edged his team in front by the 35th minute.
Despite this positive start, gaps were appearing in the St Vincent’s defence which O’Sullivan and Adam McGuirk availed of to regain the St Brigid’s lead as the half evolved.
Neither side could establish any prolonged periods of pressure with Winters and Connolly raising the standard with superb scores at opposite ends while Burke finally found his range when edging his team into the lead by the 50th minute.
However, a trio of excellent points from Hannon, Winters, O’Sullivan and Lorcan Doolin helped regain the initiative for St Brigid’s and McGuirk eased any late nerves as he kicked home from close range.
Scorers – St Brigid’s: P Winters 0-11 (9f); C O’Sullivan 0-6 (1f); J McGuirk 1-0; J Hannon 0-2, D Breslin, A McGuirk, L Doolin 0-1 apiece. St Vincent’s: J Hetherton 0-9 (5f, 1 ’65); M Sweeney, J Mulcahy, T Connolly, B Bolger 0-2 each; C Dolan, C Burke, S Williams, D McBride 0-1 apiece.
St Brigid’s: A Nolan; B O’Sullivan, D Ryan, E Leen; J Hannon, C Doyle, A Dunphy; E Healy, M Kavanagh; J McGuirk, C O’Sullivan, P Winters; C Tierney, D Breslin, A McGuirk. Subs: M Coyne for Doyle (12), L Doolin for Kavanagh (41), C Ruane for A McGuirk (47), B Moran for Ryan (61).
St Vincent’s: D Perry; C O’Neill, M O’Farrell, J Brady; S Mulcahy, H Curley, C Dolan; M Sweeney, C Burke; S Williams, B Bolger, C Walsh; T Connolly, J Hetherton, J Mulcahy. Subs: B Moorhouse-Carroll for Walsh (half-time), D McBride for Williams (42), K Ryan for J Mulcahy (49), A Cosgrove for Connolly (53).
Referee: Liam O’Briain (Setanta).