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Junior 1 Footballers defeat Ballybougal in League - Thu, 14 Jul 2005

St Brigids 2-8 Ballybougal 1-7

Barry Muldoon proved the hero for the Junior 'A' footballers of St. Brigid's as he grabbed the decisive goal in a tight and intriguing Adult League Division Five contest against Ballybougal. Sunday morning's tie at Russell Park looked set to finish in stalemate as the teams were locked at 1-6 apiece with just two minutes remaining, before Muldoon managed to get a flick onto Seamus McCarthy's in-swinging free-kick and direct the ball into the Ballybougal net.

That strike proved to be a killer blow to the visitors, and points from John Baxter and Michael Walsh sealed the win for the Saints after a tense contest. Tempers frayed in the dying stages, and both teams were reduced to fourteen men after a sideline fracas deep into stoppage time, but that didn't deter the hosts who held out for a four-point victory.

Brigid's knew a tough contest lay in store from the outset, and so it proved as Ballybougal netted in the game's opening stages to race into an early three-point lead. But to their credit, the hosts refused to buckle, and pulled back on level terms at 0-3 apiece after twenty minutes, with McCarthy instrumental in the comeback.

And the Saints continued their fight-back in the ensuing minutes, as Enda Kane displayed tremendous awareness to set up Stephen Kelly who fired home in splendid fashion to leave his team 1-3 to 1-1 up entering first-half stoppage-time, before the visitors rallied with two scores of their own to leave the teams level at the turn. The tight nature of the contest continued for the vast majority of the second half, as the teams scored 0-3 apiece to leave the sides level at 1-6 each with two minutes remaining.

The game's decisive moment arrived seconds later, as Muldoon got a touch on McCarthy's free to direct the ball into the Ballybougal net and send the Brigid's boys into delirium. With the wind now in their sails, Brigid's piled forward, and further scores from Baxter and Walsh handed them a clear advantage. Ballybougal tried their best to recover but the resolute Brigid?s midfield and defence thwarted their efforts at a comeback. A melee then ensued in the dying seconds, but it could do nothing to dampen the Saints' joy when the final whistle sounded moments later.

Scorers: S Kelly 1-2, B Muldoon 1-1, S McCarthy 0-2, J Baxter, D Reidy, M Walsh (f) 0-1 each.

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