Hughes gives masterclass as Bredagh are crowned

Hughes gives masterclass as Bredagh are crowned

24 October 2018

BREDAGH had to withstand a second half pummelling from Liatroim before getting their hands on the William J Farrell Cup for the second time in three years at Pairc Esler on Sunday evening.

Jody Gormley’s charges seemed well on their way to a comprehensive victory when they took a 3-9 to 0-6 lead after 38 minutes, but Liatroim dragged themselves off the floor and almost completed the mother of all comebacks.

However, time ran out on Liatroim and they were left to rue five first half wides and two good goal scoring opportunities that slipped through their fingers.

The Fontenoys settled first and points from Miceal McCartan and Liam Doyle had them in the box seat after only six minutes. Bredagh replied with a Cormac Hughes point before Conor Francis split the Liatroim defence wide open with a searing run and pass to Donal Hughes, who buried the ball in the back of the net to give the Belfast side a 1-1 to 0-2 lead by the ninth minute.

McCartan saw a wicked effort crash against the crossbar before he brought the sides level with two consecutive points. Two Donal Hughes frees eased Bredagh back in front, but McCartan kept Liatroim ticking over with another free.

With 27 minutes gone Francis again ripped through the Liatroim rearguard for Sean Blaney to finish to the net and give his side a 2-3 to 0-5 lead. Two further frees from the lethal Hughes were responded to by a McCartan point as Bredagh went into the break with a deserved 2-5 to 0-6 lead. 

Unanswered points from Hughes (0-4) and a goal from Declan O’Hara had Bredagh in dreamland at the start of the second half and sitting pretty with a massive 12-point lead.

Somehow, Liatroim hit back and boy did they make a game of it.

Points from Pearse Og McCrickard (0-3), P J Davidson and Conor McCrickard suddenly left seven points in it with 12 minutes of this enthralling encounter remaining.

Hughes smoothed Bredagh’s worries with a fisted point before two majestic Davidson points had Liatroim trailing 3-10 to 0-13 with seven minutes remaining. Tommy McElroy made it a seven point game, but Liatroim ensured the pulsating nature of the game continued with two Pearse Og McCrickard points.

That man Hughes just couldn’t be silenced and he gave Bredagh a 3-12 to 0-15 lead with time almost up. Yet another free from Pearse Og was followed by a Doyle goal to really throw the act among the pigeons as the game went into added time and now only two points in it.

A Pearse Og free left a single point in it, but Matthew Hamilton broke Liatroim’s hearts when he scored with his first touch to finally take the sting out of the Fontenoys and secure the cup for Bredagh.

Bredagh: O Devlin, C Toland, M Woods, O Costello, P McLaughlin, K Dornan, T McElroy (0-1), J McKenna, C Hughes (0-1), C Francis, D Hughes (1-10, 4f), M Robinson, B Gallen, D O’Hara (1-0), S Blaney (1-0). Subs: M Hamilton (0-1) for Robinson, K Devlin for O’Hara, D McKegney for McLaughlin, J Shields for Blaney.

Liatroim: T Rice, M Branniff, P J Davidson (0-3), S Og O’Rourke, C Moorehead, R McCrickard, Darren O’Higgins, Donough O’Higgins, L Middleton, G McAnulty, M McCartan (0-5, 4f), P Og McCrickard (0-7, 5f), R O’Hare, L Doyle (1-1), C McCrickard (0-1). Subs: S O’Higgins for Braniff, C Doyle for Donough O’Higgins.

Bredagh 3-13

Liatroim 1-17

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