Blues on a mission with statement win

Brownstown 1-22, St Brigid's 0-12

On Saturday evening in Killucan, Brownstown backed up their recent league final win with another eye-catching display against a gallant but completely outplayed St Brigid's side to get their intermediate hurling championship campaign off the ground in impressive style.

This was a feast for the scoring eyes and the Archerstown Blues were in fine finishing form, with several brilliant points and indeed some fine individual displays, but it was their cohesion that separated them from a slightly disjointed Brigid's side that relied far too much on individual brilliance. That being said the Saffrons never once threw in the towel and defend heroically right up to the final whistle, but on this occasion they met a Brownstown side with serious eyes on the prize come seasons end.

Niall Leonard opened the scoring for Brownstown and added a free before Jamie Fitzsimons got their third, while a David Hanlon free got St Brigid's off the mark and Finbar Coyne narrowed the gap to just one with an excellent score from a narrow angle. Brownstown hit five from play without reply, though as Fitzsimons, Robbie Dugdale, Brian Guerin and two super strikes from Donal Lane saw them take a commanding lead. At this stage, they were full value for that big advantage.

Conor Slevin with a free, Evan Gorman from tight to the sideline and another beauty from Coyne saw the Saints battle back admirably, then Leonard and Slevin exchanged excellent points before another three in-a-row from Brownstown’s Dugdale, Leonard (who shot a super score from almost another parish) and a Fitzsimons free saw the Blues lead by double scores, 0-12 to 0-6 at the break.

Fitzsimons extended that lead on the resumption while Leonard added two more exceptional points for Brownstown, but St Brigid's kept in touch through two David Hanlon frees and a kicked a point that could easily have found the net from Aonghus Cody. It would be the end of the mini revival though as Brownstown went into turbo with another three Fitzsimons frees, while Guerin scored with a super strike. Emmett Cunneen found the range from along the sideline and the imperious Leonard also hit the target. The Brownstown pressure was relentless and while Guerin was denied by a wondrous save from Paddy Carroll, Cunneen was on hand to flick the ball to the net and in truth finish the game as a contest.

Two Slevin frees and a super strike from long range did narrow the gap slightly, but it was certainly fitting that Leonard ended the scoring with a trademark point at the second attempt and Brownstown ran out comfortable winners in the end.

Scorers - Brownstown; Niall Leonard 0-8 (1 65’), Jamie Fitzsimons 0-7 (4 frees,1 65’), Emmett Cunneen 1-1, Brian Guerin, Donal Lane and Robbie Dugdale 0-2 each.

St Brigid's: Conor Slevin 0-6 (3 frees), David Hanlon (2 frees) and Finbar Coyne 0-2 each, Evan Gorman and Aonghus Cody 0-1 each.

Brownstown: James Moore, Tom Flynn, Phillip Gilsenan, Kenny Higgins, Oisín Kiernan, Conor Rice, Cormac Foley, Brian Guerin, Tiernan Purcell, Donal Lane, Niall Leonard, Robbie Dugdale, Gary Smith, Emmett Cunneen, Jamie Fitzsimons. Subs: Paddy Reilly for Smith (H-T), Anthony Mulvaney for Lane (55 mins), Stephen O’Farrell for Cunneen (56 mins), Aaron Kelly for Dugdale (61 mins).

St Brigid's: Paddy Carroll, Ciaran Geraghty, Cormac Eighan, Conal Dunne, Niall Cully, Stephen Quinn, Joe Hyland, Evan Gorman, Sean Deegan, Conor Slevin, David Hanlon, Eddie Whelehan, Brian Brophy, Finbar Coyne Aonghus Cody. Subs: Michael Geraghty for Whelehan (H-T), Ryan Judge for Brophy (44 mins), Danny Hyland for Cody and Evan Connell for Gorman (52 mins), Eoghan Gallagher for Hanlon (56 mins).

Referee: Sean Carroll (Cullion).