St. Brigid's power their way into Connacht club semi-final
Ben O'Carroll was top scorer with 1-7 during the reigning Roscommon and Connacht champions' comfortable victory against St. Mary's at King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie
St. Brigid's maintained their push for consecutive Connacht club titles with a powerful showing against Sligo champions St. Mary's at King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park.
Damien Mulligan's side were excellent from the second quarter onwards, unleashing a devastating attacking display that left St. Mary's chasing shadows.
Ben O’Carroll hit 1-7, Bobby Nugent scored 1-4 and Conor Hand kicked 0-4 in a powerful performance by the reigning provincial champions.
The only downside from a Brigid’s perspective was the departure of full-back Pearse Frost with an arm injury towards the end of the game.
St. Mary’s kept tabs on the St. Brigid’s juggernaut in the opening quarter before the dam burst.
The sides shared the first six points — Brian Stack, Ben O’Carroll and Conor Hand on target for the defending champions, while an effort from play by Ronan Niland was sandwiched between frees from Eli and Nathan Rooney for the visitors.
Bobby Nugent edged St. Brigid’s back in front as the home side started to find their groove, only for poor finishing to let them down.
Ciarán Sugrue’s overplayed handpass to O’Carroll denied the latter the simplest of goals before St. Mary’s goalkeeper James Cronin made a brilliant double save to deny Stack and O’Carroll.
O’Carroll did land a two-pointer on an advantage before the winners’ opening goal arrived.
A flowing team move involving Ciarán Sugrue and Ruaidhrí Fallon teed up O’Carroll who kept his cool to roll the ball into the net after 20 minutes.
Conor Hand added an excellent individual point before the second goal arrived. Pressure from Fallon dispossessed St. Mary’s midfielder, David McGovern, allowing Fallon to play in Bobby Nugent who duly found the net.
There was still time for Hand to kick his third point of the half, meaning Brigid’s had hit 2-5 without reply.
Eli Rooney converted a ’45 for St. Mary’s but his side had it all to do, trailing by 2-8 to 0-4 at the break.
There was no let-up from the Roscommon champions in the second half as Hand and Brian Derwin tagged on scores, and O’Carroll kicked his second two-pointer of the match.
With Brian Stack and Ruaidhrí Fallon excellent up the centre, Brigid’s kept creating opportunities, with substitute Charlie O’Carroll marking his introduction with a couple of scores.
Goalkeeper Conor Carroll ambled forward to raise his side’s third orange flag, this time from a free, as Brigid’s ran out convincing winners.
Eli Rooney finished as St. Mary’s top scorer with 0-5, which included a second half two-point free, but his side were outclassed as St. Brigid’s marched into next weekend’s semi-final.
Scorers for St. Brigid’s: B. O’Carroll 1-7 (1 tp), B. Nugent 1-4 (2f), C. Hand 0-4, C. Carroll 0-2 (1 tpf), C. O’Carroll 0-2, B. Stack 0-1, R. Dolan 0-1, B. Derwin 0-1, P. McGrath 0-1, A. Lennon 0-1.
Scorers for St. Mary’s: E. Rooney 0-5 (1 tpf, 2f), N. Rooney 0-2 (2f), R. Niland 0-1, P. Kilcoyne 0-1.
