Bredagh under-14s take points at St John’s
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St John’s
1-02 v 1-13 Bredagh
Thu 8th June
After a close first half Bredagh pulled
away in the second period to record a
comfortable win at
St John’s.
Bredagh enjoyed the lion’s share of the
possession throughout but stout St
John’s defending in the opening period
meant that the margin at the turnaround
was down to the minimum.
The full back line of Neil Magorrian,
Daniel McKay and Jamie Artt were
outstanding in the first half as they
hassled and harried their men any time
the ball was played in to limit their
shooting opportunities or to force them
to shoot wide. Taking a lead from the
players behind them Joe Milligan, Darren
Burns and Ryan Gordon began to apply the
squeeze further out the field too so
that as the first half progressed the
opportunities for the visitors were cut
to a trickle. In the first quarter then
had notched up four pints; in the second
quarter they were limited to one score.
At the other end, The St John’s inside
forwards were starved of possession as
the midfielders and half-forwards had to
attend to defensive duties. But again as
the half progressed a few more
opportunities came along. Joshua Wells
netted for St John’s after an excellent move. Darren Burns won possession, Martin Keenan was
involved twice as the ball was moved
forward and Anthony Doran played the
final pass into the goal scorer. Harry
McMullan was the other scorer in the
first half and his point was all his own
work as he intercepted an attempted pass
and then fired over from distance.
The second period began ominously for
the home side as Chris Feenan pulled off
a great save – he had been well shielded
in the first half, but now that
defensive guard had been pierced for the
first time. The visitors continued to
attack but in a change from their first
half tactics they took points from
distance rather than trying to work the
ball in close – a reflection surely on
the good work done by the full back line
in the first period. They fired over six
points without reply. That’s not to say
that it was all one way traffic as St
John’s had a couple of goal chances and
a 45 during that phase of play.
Eventually Darren Savage pointed a free,
and St John’s called the Bredagh keeper
into action before Bredagh got another
couple of points. Then to prove the
maxim that “if you take your points, the
goals will come” they netted for the
final score of the game.
The St John’s lads might like to reflect
that when the sides met last June in the
Championship the city boys won by 6-18
to 0-02 – so they are going in the right
direction.
St John’s: Chris Feenan; Neil Magorrian,
Daniel McKay, Jamie Artt; Joe Milligan,
Darren Burns, Ryan Gordon; Conor Morgan,
Harry McMullan; Hugh Flanagan, Martin
Keenan, Joshua Wells; Philip Brennan,
Ruairi McGlynn, Anthony Doran. Subs
Chris McKay for Ruairi McGlynn, Darren
Savage for Joshua Wells.
