Two on the trot for Brownstown

Senior 'B' hurling championship: Brownstown 2-15, St Brigid's 2-14

By Paul Hughes

Senior ‘B’ newcomers St Brigid’s were unlucky to lose by the odd score in 33 at sun-drenched Joristown last Friday night, as Brownstown made it two wins out of two to keep their Mickey Power Cup ambitions on track and, at the very least, guarantee another season in the secondary tier.

This one was as close and entertaining as the scoreline suggests, with St Brigid’s pushing the Blues all the way and had they taken a couple of scores during a lull in second-half hurling, they could easily have left Raharney with the win.

The sides were locked at 2-6 to 1-9 at half time, with Brian Guerin and Jamie Fitzsimons finding the net for Brownstown and Paddy Carroll expertly slotting a penalty to keep St Brigid’s in touch.

With the evening haze playing havoc with goalkeepers’ visibility, Fitzsimons’ goal came about after an unfortunate error from Carroll and in the second half, Brownstown netminder James Moore was similarly caught out by a free from Mikie Mullen of St Brigid’s.

However, the Dalystown outfit failed to conjure enough scores in the third quarter of the game and with Fitzsimons and Guerin in fine form for the Blues, they prevailed to leave the Saffrons still pointless.

St Brigid’s started in fine fettle with a trio of scores from the all-action Mullen (one from play) but with five minutes gone, Brownstown hotshot Guerin – who started at full forward but later moved out to midfield – cut in from the right and smashed to the net from close range.

Fitzsimons tacked on a free to complete a quickfire reversal but a minute later, St Brigid’s won a penalty after Jack Carroll was hauled down. There was no surprise when Paddy Carroll stepped up to expertly rifle the sliotar past James Moore.

Carroll’s joy was short-lived as found himself on the receiving end of a dipping free from Fitzsimons and despite his best efforts, the ball ended up in the net, giving Brownstown a slender lead (2-1 to 1-3).

Battling Brigid’s regained the lead with a free from Mullen and a superb long-range effort from captain Niall Cully, but Brownstown responded with a five scores from Fitzsimons (three, one from play), Aaron O’Brien and Guerin. With a free from Mullen the only reply, the Blues now led by a goal.

However, before the break, Dermot Faulkner’s charges impressively worked their way back to parity with three points in as many minutes courtesy of David Hanlon, Mullen (a free) and Conor Slevin.

The Saffrons, incidentally, could have sneaked a second goal before the break. Jack Carroll had a couple of bites at the cherry before blasting wide and just before Slevin’s equaliser, Brownstown’s Conor Shaw came to his goalkeeper’s rescue after a dipping Mullen free almost ricocheted its way into the net.

Brownstown took what felt like an age to return to the fray, much to the chagrin of the St Brigid’s faithful, but Philip Gilsenan’s troops emerged with purpose after the restart and raced into a three-point lead, with Brian Guerin (a fine effort) and Jamie Fitzsimons (two frees) doing the honours.

Stephen Quinn pulled one back for St Brigid’s from distance but after Fitzsimons tacked on another brace of frees, the Blues led by four and a theretofore pulsating game fell into a brief lull. Both sides missed chances but St Brigid’s lived to rue not troubling the scoreboard in this period.

That said, the Saffrons leaped back into contention on 45 minutes thanks to Mikie Mullen, who dropped a 60-metre free into the danger zone and James Moore, not helped by a mass of inrushing players, missed the sliotar as it dipped into the net. There was briefly a question as to whether an infringement had taken place, but the goal stood.

Now only a point adrift, St Brigid’s needed a couple of big scores but it was Brownstown who delivered courtesy of Fitzsimons (a free) and Niall Leonard, the latter wowing the Brownstown support with a terrific point from about 80 metres out.

Mikie Mullen cancelled these out with a brace but with seven minutes to go, Oisín Kiernan found his range from the left flank before teeing up Aaron O’Brien for his second point. The Archerstown men led by three (2-15 to 2-12) with seven minutes to go.

Back came St Brigid’s and Jack Carroll reduced the arrears to two after pouncing on a Brownstown defensive error. The Saffrons needed another goal and it almost arrived with two minutes to go when sub Finbar Coyne beat Conor Shaw to a high ball before turning and driving a low shot goalwards, but it didn’t have enough venom James Moore was equal to it.

Seconds later, there was just a point between the sides when Niall Cully fired over from distance, setting up a grandstand finish. However, there were no further scores in stoppage time, with Mikie Mullen unlucky to produce a late equaliser as Brownstown prevailed.

Scorers - Brownstown: J Fitzsimons 1-9 (1-7f), B Guerin 1-2, A O’Brien 0-2, O Kiernan and N Leonard 0-1 each. St Brigid’s: M Mullen 1-8 (1-7f), P Carroll 1-0 (pen), N Cully 0-2, D Hanlon, C Slevin, S Quinn and J Carroll 0-1 each.

Brownstown: James Moore; Shane Henry, Shaun Smith, Thomas Flynn; Conor Rice, Conor Shaw, Paddy O’Reilly; Ryan Flynn, Donal Lane; Oisín Kiernan, Niall Leonard, Tiernan Purcell; Aaron O’Brien, Brian Guerin, Jamie Fitzsimons. Subs used: Emmet Cunneen for R Flynn (h-t), Anthony Mulvaney for S Smith (36), Danny Henry for S Henry (36), Cormac Foley for Purcell (60+1).

St Brigid’s: Paddy Carroll; Billy Arthur, Dan O’Sullivan, Finian Carroll; Seán Deegan, Joe Hyland, Cormac Eighan; Conor Slevin, Niall Cully; Alex Eighan, David Hanlon, Christopher Daly; Stephen Quinn, Mikie Mullen, Jack Carroll. Sub used: Finbar Coyne for C Eighan (39).

Referee: Ray Aughey (Turin).