Bredagh marvels stage recovery to deny ‘Town

14 September 2016

BREDAGH snatched victory from the jaws of defeat after 60 minutes of electrifying football at Pairc Tomas Ruiseil, Downpatrick, on Saturday evening.

Opponents Castlewellan were seeking their fourth senior championship in a row, but they were stunned by a dramatic last quarter fightback.

Bredagh looked to have blown it when they trailed 2-8 to 0-9 after 45 minutes of relentless, unforgiving and hard-hitting championship action, but they had saved their best for last.

A pulsating final 15 minutes saw Bredagh saw them turn the tables and Ella Durkan delivered the coup de grace in the 56th minute with a goal good enough win any game.

Bredagh paid scant regard to Castlewellan’s championship pedigree and Aislinn McFarland pointed them ahead in the first minute.

Colleen Lennon was then denied a certain goal by ‘keeper Aisling Burns as Bredagh went for broke, but Castlewellan showed their prowess when the dangerous Lisa Morgan netted after a bustling run.

Two points from Clare Timoney brought the sides level by the 12th minute before the Town got a break when a McFarland blockbuster crashed off the crossbar and flew to safety.

Morgan made Bredagh pay for this miss and she gave Castlewellan a 2-0 to 0-3 lead with her second goal from play in the 15th minute.

Clare Byrne and Morgan exchanged points before Bredagh hit a purple patch and unanswered scores from Timoney (0-3) and Durkan gave the Belfast side a 0-8 to 2-1 lead after 24 minutes.

Morgan and Laoise Duffy swapped points before Morgan and a stunning score from Aoife Keown sent Castlewellan into the interval with a 2-4 to 0-9 lead.

It was all Castlewellan on the restart and points from Morgan, Keown, another sublime score, Sorcha McCartan and Coleen Molloy extended the Town’s lead to five points.

Bredagh were really staring down the barrel, but they somehow produced a fightback that took Castlewellan by surprise.

Nuala Carvill pushed up from her half back berth to rattle in a stunning goal and a point from Timoney in the 52nd minute left a point in it. Keown and Cassie Moane exchanged points as the game entered the final stretch.

Castlewellan, who had beaten Bryansford on Tuesday night to reach the final, were out of gas. They had run themselves to a standstill and Bredagh pounced to finish them off when Durkan turned her marker before unleashing an unstoppable shot that flew past a helpless Burns.

Castlewellan trailed by two points in added time and they were unable to claw anything back as a resilient Bredagh rearguard held out for a thrilling win.

Bredagh: M Deery, G Hughes, J Willinghan, M McKay, N Carvill, H Murray, A McCloskey, A McCarvill, L Duffy (0-1), C Moane (0-1), C Timoney (0-6), C Byrne (0-1), C Lennon, E Durkan (1-1), A McFarland (0-1). Subs: P McAllister for Byrne,

Castlewellan: A Burns, E Rice, K McCartan, N Cairns, C Cunningham, A Keown, K Keown, M Hardy, A Keown (0-3), S McCartan (0-1), L Morgan (2-4), K O’Higgins, Coleen Molloy (0-1), N McCabe, C Caldwell.

Player of match: Nuala Carvill (Bredagh).

Bredagh 2-11

Castlewellan 2-9

DOWN LADIES SFC FINAL

Tweets by @TheDownRecorder