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St Brigids vs Skerries Harps - Junior D Championship - Wed, 30 Jun 2004

St Brigids 4-9 Skerries Harps 1-14

St Brigids fought back superbly in the second half of this hum dinger of a tie to defeat Skerries Harps and advance to the semi-final stages of the Junior D Football Championship. Both teams enjoyed periods of domination but it was the St Brigids forwards who proved more clinical on the night. Their eye for goal proved the deciding factor in this thoroughly exciting contest. The game was played in true championship passion and the tackles were flying in left right and centre. The referee at times lacked the authority to stamp his mark on the game and several dubious decisions were made during the match, which angered St Brigids at critical times.

Midfield was a real battleground with both sides keenly contesting. The game started at lightning pace. St Brigids raced into an early lead thanks to Neil Plunkett calmly finishing the ball to the Skerries net with just thirty seconds gone. Ian Craven floated a beautiful ball to the edge of the Skerries?s square and Plunkett plucked the ball from the air and fought off the challenge of the Skerries fullback to finish clinically. St Brigids notched tagged point on after some neat work in midfield between Ian Craven and John Dunning who fed Keith Maurice who calmly slotted over from thirty metres. The St Brigids forwards were proving a real hand full for the Skerries backs. Skerries were soon seven points adrift when Ian Craven rifled the ball to the net from the penalty spot. The penalty resulting from James Carty being fouled in the square after being put through by Neil Plunkett. Skerries?s fullback Tom Long was in real trouble. Plunkett was easily beating him to every ball and it was at this point that Skerries made several positional changes in their fullback line. The changes didn?t have an immediate effect as St Brigids tagged on another point through corner forward James Carty.

It was at this point that the Skerries started to dominate the midfield sector and St Brigids seemed to lack the gears to go with them. Skerries tagged on four points in quick succession to reduce St Brigids lead to four points. The game was in the melting pot. St Brigids needed to respond to the Skerries onslaught. The team responded especially the St Brigids defence who fought tenaciously to defend their four-point lead until the break. Skerries missed several opportunities to reduce their arrears before the break, would they be opportunities missed that they would roe after the game?

 St Brigids introduced several subs at the break in order to revitalise their under pressure midfield pairing but it didn?t happen. Skerries dominated the opening fifteen minutes of the second half and slowly began to eat into the St Brigids lead. Their first score bought them right back into the game as wing forward Anthony Frisk punched the ball to the St Brigids net. St Brigids seemed dumb founded and found it hard to respond as Skerries tagged on six unanswered points to lead by five points with fifteen minutes remaining. It was at this point that St Brigids introduced three substitutes into their midfield and forward line. The three subs made a great impact. Seamus Lynam was the big presence needed in midfield breaking the midfield domination of the Skerries midfield duo of John Malone and Paul Gill. Paul Whitty and Ian Sheedy were introduced into the half forward line were they were always readily available. Danger man Brian Murphy was moved onto the edge of the square and top scorer Neil Plunkett moved to centre forward. The switches worked within minutes as the new look formation carved open the Skerries defence several times to score. Brian Murphy pointed from close range after shipping two hard tackles. Stephen Kelly brought St Brigids right back into the game as he clinically finished the ball to the Skerries net. Skerries were under pressure and St Brigids knew that the game was there for the winning. St Brigids were soon level as midfield powerhouse Ian Craven pointed from a forty-five. The sides were level with ten minutes remaining. Skerries upped their game again and tagged on another two points. It was at this point that St Brigids responded with a real purple patch

Brian Murphy scored another point to reduce the deficit to one point. The turning point of the game then came when goal hero Stephen Kelly rifled the ball to the Skerries net with two minutes remaining. St Brigids quickly notched on another three points through Stephen Dunning, Paul Whitty and Neil Plunkett. Skerries responded with a late point but they could not peg back the resurgent St Brigids side.

 
St Brigids: David Brookes, Declan Hanley, Ciaran Byrne, Paul Brady, David Smith, John Dunning, Peirce O?Connor, Stan Kevlehan, Ian Craven, Stephen Kelly, Brian Murphy, Keith Morris, Eoin O Sullivan, Neil Plunkett, James Carty.

Subs: Ian Sheedy for Keith Morris, Stephen Dunning for Eoin O Sullivan, Brenden Farrell for David Smith, Seamus Lynam for Stan Kevlehan and Paul Whitty for James Carty

Scorers: Stephen Kelly 2-1, Neil Plunkett 1-1, Ian Craven 1-1, Brian Murphy 0-2, James Carty 0-1, Stephen Dunning 0-1, Paul Whitty 0-1, Keith Morris 0-1

Half Time: St Brigids 2-2 Skerries Harps 0-4

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