Ford And Saval Go Through The Motions

BRYANSFORD xa02-15 xa0 xa01-9 xa0SAVAL (Matchxa0Report by Peter McGrath Jnr) THE Down senior football League drew to a close last weekend for most teams and Bryansford and Saval met in Newcastle in what was a meaningless match as both teams fate for thexa0seasonxa0had already been decided with the result for both merely mid-table mediocracy. That said, it was perhaps surprising that there was a large support from both clubs but even the atmosphere that was generated struggled to liven up what was, on the pitch, quite a dead game and the freezing wintry conditions did little to help onlookers retain interest in the game as the more important tasks of keeping their hands and feet warm were at the forefront of their minds. The sides exchanged points in the opening three minutes with Stephen Kearneyxa0levelingxa0for Saval after Ciaran Brannigan had firedxa0Bryansfordxa0into the lead. Having been pegged back though, Bryansford responded well with Joe Irelandxa0perseveringxa0as he broke through a number of tackles en-route to shooting over and Chris Brannigan, Conor Gribben and Conor Maginn all pointed to put Bryansford comfortably ahead at 0-5 – 0-1. A chance to possibly put the game beyond doubt was wasted when Ciaran Brannigan saw his shot well saved by Saval goalkeeper Marty Poland and Danny Savage failed to convert the 45. Buoyed by the fact they were still in the game, Saval went on a scoring run of their own and two fantastic points from Eamon Magee and an equally noteworthy Niall Madine point from 40 metres and despite Chris Clarke restoring a two point cushion Madine was again on hand to cut it to the minimum approaching half time but just before the whistle Chris Brannigan pointed a free kick to leave the Ford 0-7 – 0-5 ahead. The second half was an altogether more one-sided affair but not after Bryansford had been given an early scare. Within thirty seconds Chris Brannigan had put them a goal ahead but Fergal McConville and Niall Madine once again leftxa0justxa0xa0a point in it as each sent the ball over the bar andxa0thenxa0Madine, having got the sniff of scoring ran through and drove a low shot to Peter Travers’ net. Bryansford needed a responsexa0 and a Daniel McDonald point helped bring them back into it. Conor Gribben fisted the ball over to level the sides for a third time and it was Gribben again who put he Fordxa0in-frontxa0two minutes later. Centre-half forward Conor Maginn showed a real cutting edge when bursting through the Saval defence and he clinicallyxa0dispatchedxa0a shot to the net. A Fergal McConville point only proved a brief respite as four Bryansford forwards, Ciaran Brannigan, Conor Maginn, Chris Clarke and Conor Gribben all added points. A chance to put the game beyond contention was wasted as a tame Ciaran Brannigan penalty was kept out by Marty Poland. However, it only delayed the arrival of the second goal for the hosts as Kalum King found Brannigan who played in substitute Johnathan Scannell who, despite scuffing his shot saw it trickle over the line. The final score of the match was a Saval point taken by Declan McCarthy. So as McCarthy rounded off one season the winter months with little football begin. Around countless fires, in countless armchairs, in countless houses around Ireland conversation will start, reviewing the season gone and previewing the one to come. Throughout this time one feeling will be stronger than any other – hope and optimism for the coming season and this feeling was certainly evident in the Bryansford and Saval camps at the end of the game and it was on that positive note that both teams left St Patrick’s Park last Friday night after the final game of the season in which Bryansford ran out winners by 2-15 – 1-9.]]>