St James’ chalk up their first win

ST JAMES’ ALDERGROVE 2-12 ST BRIGID’S 1-09

ST James’ chalked up their first win in ACFL Division 1 with a fine display against a strong St Brigid’s team in a competitive game played in the right spirit.

In the opening exchanges St James’ direct approach yielded dividends with minor player Seamus McGarry’s hunger for the ball in the full-forward line meaning primary possession was converted into scores with points from play by McGarry and young midfielder Conleth Hendron being supplemented with a converted free by Fearghal Burke.

St Brigid’s, aided by a strong breeze profited from the long-ball to put a minimum between the teams with 10 minutes gone. The teams exchanged points when a Chris O’Kane point from play was immediately cancelled out by a converted free by the visitors. When Brian McQuillan pounced for an opportunist goal with 13 minutes gone, the young St James’ team seized the initiative taking a firm grip on proceedings with a complete shut out of St Brigid’s for the remainder of the half. A Fearghal Burke converted free on 18 minutes added to by another from play by the impressive Hendron stretched the home-side’s advantage to 6-points as the half drew to a close.

H/T Score: St James’, Aldergrove (1-06) V St Brigid’s (0-03)

St James’ had dominated possession in the first half but with the introduction of ex-Armagh player Philip Loughran at midfield during the interval by the visitors added significantly to their engine room and they immediately responded upon the restart with a point from play.

Donal Doherty replied within a minute with a score from play to re-establish the home-side’s 6 point advantage. The lead became 7-points when a brace from St James’ by Burke and Brian McQuillan sandwiched a reply from play by the visitors. McQuillan made his personal tally 1-2 when clever inter-play with Seamus McGarry sent McQuillan clear to point superbly from long-distance.

The midfield battle was swinging in favour of St Brigid’s with Loughran to the fore and they converted their possession into scores with an unanswered 3-point salvo between the 42nd and 45th minutes to reduce their deficit to 5-points. This was as close as it got for the visitors as a flicked 3-pointer from Stephen McCullough for St James’ in the 46th minute was added to by another from play by Brian McQuillan a minute later to put 9 between the sides.

As the contest entered its last 10-minutes a point followed by a fortuitous goal for St Brigid’s gave the travelling support something to cling to. In reality St James’ never looked like choking and the final score of the game came courtesy of Fearghal Burke with 4-minutes remaining to record an impressive victory for the ‘Grove with 6-points to spare.

F/T Score: St James’, Aldergrove (2-12) V St Brigid’s (1-09)

Aldergrove Starting Team:

1. Chris McQuillan, 2. Paul Cushley, 3. Stephen Gorman, 4. Ferdia Carson, 5. Gerald Mallon, 6. Andy Flood, 7. Chris O’Kane, 8. Conleth Hendron, 9. Matt Jardine (Ryan Maguire), 10. Donal Doherty, 11. Fearghal Burke, 12. Seamus McGarry, 13. James Henry, 14. Brian McQuillan (Chris McVeigh), 15. Stephen McCullough (Gerard McQuillan)

Aldergrove Scorers: Brian McQuillan (1-3), Fearghal Burke (0-4, 3 frees), Stephen McCullough (1-0), Conleth Hendron (0-2), Chris O’Kane, Donal Doherty, Seamus McGarry (0-1 each)

Best For Aldergrove: Ferdia Carson, Paul Cushley, Gerald Mallon, Conleth Hendron, Brian McQuillan, Donal Doherty, Seamus McGarry.