Impressive St Brigid's show good health in convincing win over disappointing Ballinagar

TWO sides with aspirations of winning the Intermediate Football Championship clashed in group 2 on Sunday afternoon but there was only one side smiling as St Brigid's recorded a very convincing win over Ballinagar in Ballinagar.

Tullamore Court Hotel Intermediate Football Championship Group 2 Round 2

St Brigid's 1-15

Ballinagar 0-9

It was a very impressive display by St Brigid's who controlled the game most of the way. They were very solid and efficient in their football, never really putting a foot wrong and they were full value for their nine point win.

With two of their key players, Dan Molloy and Ben Kennedy missing, St Brigid's will be rightly delighted with this performance and they look in very good health. Beaten by Daingean in last year's final, they look capable of going a step further this year in a championship that is wide open.

If St Brigid's can be satisfied with their display, Ballinagar will be bitterly disappointed. They looked good when beating parish neighbours Raheen in the first round but this was a wake up call for them.

Ballinagar have a lot of good players at their disposal, a handful who have played county at various levels but they never got going here at all, apart from a few minutes in the first half. They found the going tough all afternoon and St Brigid's won pulling up in the end. Their football was ragged and scrappy at times. Their error count was too high, possession was carelessly coughed up, balls kicked out over the sideline, players colliding.

Their discipline was also poor on occasion. Corner back Declan Crombie was red carded near the end after a clash with former Offaly player Cian Donohue and they ended the game with 13 players when lively forward Conor Bracken got a black card for blocking a run.

With every team qualifying out of the groups, this was the time and place for such a performance but it was certainly a long way removed from title winning form for Ballinagar.

St Brigid's played against a strong wind in the first half and made a dream start with a fourth minute goal from Bobby Troy. Ballinagar played their best football after this, scoring five points without reply to lead by 0-5 to 1-0 after 18 minutes, two apiece from Morgan Tynan (one free) and Geordi O'Meara (one free) along with one from Adam Strong.

That was the high point of the afternoon for Ballinagar and they just stopped playing after this. St Brigid's did what they needed to do in the first half, setting up very defensively, pulling players back. Apart from that brief run of scores, Ballinagar just couldn't break them down and their forwards found the going hard most of the way. St Brigid's got three points for a 1-3 to 0-5 interval lead, and with the wind to come, they were in the driving seat.

Geordi O'Meara equalised with a quick free in the second half but St Brigid's were very good as they took control of the game. They did almost everything by the book and began to find the range regularly. Three frees, two from Dean Kennedy and one from Cian Donohue, put them three points in front before Conor Bracken halted the rot for the losers.

The Croghan men found another gear. 1-8 to 0-8 ahead after 14 minutes, they got five points without reply in a great spell of pressure from the 19^th to 27^th minutes and they had the points in the bag from a long way out.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Bobby Troy (St Brigid's): Bobby Troy's 1-3 haul, 1-2 from play, speaks for itself but he contributed way more than that. The oldest starting player on the field, he did the simple things so well and took his chances with great confidence. His work rate was high. He chased back, stopped ball drifting out over the end line. He showed his vast experience throughout, sometimes illegally blocking defenders from making runs in support but always with an awareness of where the officials were and what they could see. The cheers the Brigid's support gave him when he was replaced five minutes from time were well deserved.

Cian Donohue was a close contender. A long time Offaly defender, he did very well in an attacking role here, getting his hands on valuable ball and moving well. An emerging defender Diarmuid Finneran, a member of the Offaly panel this year, was given the task of marking him. Finneran stuck to him like glue but Donohue still exerted the influence that Brigid's wanted from him.

St Brigid's had a lot of other players who were very solid while few Ballinagar players will look back with satisfaction on this one. Brian Malone, Jack Sheil and Conor Bracken had good spells while Adam Strong threatened to dominate at times but it was not a consistent display by the losers.

THE SCORERS

St Brigid's: Bobby Troy 1-3 (1f), Cian Donohue 0-6 (5f), Dean Kennedy 0-3 (2f), Liam Fox ('45'), Ethan Hannon and Liam Cocoman 0-1 each.

Ballinagar: Geordi O'Meara 0-3 (2f), Conor Bracken and Morgan Tynan (1f) 0-2 each, Adam Strong and Ray Daly 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

ST BRIGID'S: Liam Fox; Ronan Swords, Conor Davidson, Willie Molloy; Dillon Donohue, David Boland, Ethan Hannon; Alan Scally, Liam Cocoman; Cian Donohue, James Lynch, Dean Kennedy; Cameron Egan, Bobby Troy, Thomas Mooney. Subs – Aaron Kennedy for Dean Kennedy (52m), Eunan Lawlor for Troy (55m), Eddie Grogan for Dillon Donohue (56m).

BALLINAGAR: Ryan Kinahan; Dean Pierce, Diarmuid Finneran, Declan Crombie; Jack Gorry, Brian Malone, Aaron Gorman; Adam Strong, Adam Joyce; Geordi O'Meara, Robbie Gallagher, Jack Sheil; Conor Bracken, Morgan Tynan, Jamie Ballesty. Subs – Jacob Beatty for Gorry (38m), Ray Daly for Ballesty (48m).

Referee – Christopher Joslin.

REFEREE WATCH

Ballinagar got frustrated with the referee at times but they did contribute to their own problems. There may have been a couple of frees not given but they did a good bit of fouling and it was not their most disciplined display. Christopher Joslin was clearly trying to do the right thing and to be fair. He got most decisions right, Ballinagar had no complaints at any of their cards and he was not the reason one side won and the other lost.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Bobby Troy's fourth minute goal was crucial as it gave St Brigid's a great start and a solid platform against the wind.

VENUE WATCH

The Ballinagar pitch was in great condition and they hosted the game well. It is also great to see programmes being published for all these fixtures and teams wearing the right numbers. There was also neutral linesmen here once again and the County Board is to be complimented for the way they are presenting games.

WHAT'S NEXT

Ballinagar play Tullamore in round 3 while St Brigid's meet Raheen.

STATISTICS

Wides: St Brigid's – 7 (4 in first half); Ballinagar – 10 (6 in first half).

Yellow cards: St Brigid's – 1 (Dillon Donoghue); Ballinagar – 2 (Brian Malone and Jack Gorry).

Black cards: St Brigid's – 0; Ballinagar – 1 (Conor Bracken).

Red cards: St Brigid's – 0; Ballinagar – 1 (Declan Crombie).