Bredagh 1-15 v Carryduff 1-12
Bredagh stay in the top five in Down Division 2 with 14 points, thanks to a hard fought victory over city rivals Carryduff at Cherryvale. Trailing by 4 points at the midway stage, a strong second half performance from the Harps, scoring an impressive 1-10, ensured victory.
In a cagey first half, Bredagh got the first couple of scores from the trusty boot of free kick taker Donal Hughes. Carryduff equalized with two frees of their own from Joe McFlynn (4th minute) and James Guinness (10th minute). Bredagh minor player Liam O’Keefe got his senior baptism when he replaced the injured Sean Blaney in the 13th minute and took the occasion in his stride, making an impression from the offset.
Six minutes had elapsed before the next score was registered, Donal McKeever knocking over a point for the visitors and Alan Davidson raised the white flag for the home team in the 20th minute to even matters again (0-03 to 0-03). Carryduff kept probing at the Bredagh defence with quick, long, high balls into their forwards and in the 23rd minute this tactic proved dividends as Owen McCabe punched to the net. Daniel Guinness (26th minute) and McCabe (27th minute) stretched the lead to five points with two scores before Bredagh responded with two terrific points in the 28th and 29th minute from Alan Davidson and Joe Shields. Carryduff full forward Joe McFlynn had the final say of the half when he pointed on 30 minutes to leave Bredagh four points adrift at the interval 0-5 to 1-06.
The visitors started the second half strongly, McFlynn scoring from a free in the 31st minute. A minute later Benny Hasson reduced the arrears to four points again for Bredagh when he swung his left foot. Michael Robinson was causing the Carryduff defence all sorts of problems with his robust runs and was the main instigator when Alan Davidson side footed past custodian Mark Hynds in the 33rd minute, reducing the deficit to a single point (1-06 to 1-07).
McFlynn pointed another free and Kealan Devlin bisected the posts with two splendid long range efforts in the 36th and 37th minute to level at 1-08 apiece. Carryduff edged ahead through another free, this time converted by Sean McGonigle in the 39th minute. Midfielder Benny Hasson pointed a minute later and Alan Davidson put the Harps ahead for the first time since the opening minutes and this was followed up by a long range effort in the 43rd minute from the impressive Joe Shields who was excelling in his sweeping role. Substitute Rowan Lawlor converted a “45” for Carryduff and Davidson scored another point with his left boot with ten minutes remaining to leave Bredagh two points to the good (1-12 to 1-10).
The pendulum swung back to Carryduff for the next few minutes as they exerted pressure on the home team. James Guinness left the minimum in it before that man Lawlor stroked over a 40 metre free with five minutes remaining to leave it all square 1-12 to 1-12.
Bredagh turned the screw in the final five minutes, substitute Paddy Hannity made his presence felt with a fine curling point in the 56th minute, Alan Davidson pointed in the 59th minute and finished his evenings work with a tally of 1-5. Benny Hasson had the final say when he made one his powerful runs and fisted the ball over the bar on the hour mark. Referee Ciaran Mooney blew matters to a close shortly afterwards thus ensuring that normal service had resumed, Bredagh 1-15 Carryduff 1-12.
Next up for Bredagh is an away game to 4th placed Loughinisland at 7.30pm on Friday 30th June.
Parador Man of the Match: Joe Shields
Bredagh: Odhran Devlin, Michael Magee, Declan O’Hara, Chris Savage, Sean Blaney; Donal McKegney, Michael Robinson, Benny Hasson (0-03), John McKenna, Kealan Devlin (0-02), Alan Davidson (1-05), Bryan Rice, Donal Hughes (0-02, 0-2 frees), Joe Shields (0-02).
Subs: Liam O’Keefe for S. Blaney (13); P Hannity (0-01) for C. Savage (52), Fergal Nolan, Conall O’Rawe, Matthew Holywood, Jack Holywood, Niall Devlin
Yellow card: Joe Shields (22), Donal Hughes (52)
Carryduff: Joe McFlynn (No 14) 0-04, 0-03 frees; Owen McCabe 1-01; James Guinness (No 13) 0-02; Ronan Lawlor (No 17) 0-02, 0-2 frees; Donal McKeever (No 7) 0-01; (No 10) Daniel Guinness 0-01.
Yellow cards: No 6 Josh Connery (5); No 7 Donal McKeever (22)
Referee: Ciaran Mooney Joe Shields
