Kilcoo 2-6 – 0-10 Bryansford
Match report by Peter McGrath Jnr
TWO goals early in the second half proved to be the determining scores in this local derby match. Having trailed by two points at the interval, Kilcoo came out more eager and hungry than their opponents and within five minutes the Bryansford net had been rattled twice. Meanwhile at the other end a succession of chances were missed, wasted or moves broke down before a shot could be taken.
Following a couple of early Bryansford wides, Jerome Johnston got the scoreboard ticking for Owen Roes. Danny Savage opened the Bryansford account as he pounced on a loose sideline in the Kilcoo defence, broke forward and slotted over. Jerome Johnston had Kilcoo back infront before Bryansford lost goalkeeper Sean James Brannigan to a nasty looking injury. Ryan Brannigan deputised, doing particularly well under a couple of testing balls. A good move down the right hand side ended with Ciaran Brannigan squaring the sides but a Darragh O Hanlon free and a sliced effort from Paul Devlin had the Magpies 0-4 – 0-2 ahead.
Bryansford scored all four of the games points in the second quarter but given their domination of the ball they will feel they should have led by more at half time. Chris Brannigan converted a tricky free, Danny Savage converted two dead balls including a 45 and Ciaran Brannigan had time to add a sixth score to put his side two up.
The first half seemed long, possibly because of the injury and lengthy added time or possibly because the show on offer was, at best, poor. Two saves from Steven Kane in the Kilcoo goal had kept Bryansford goals out and on a night when scores were proving hard to come by it was generally accepted a goal could be a crucial contribution.
