Marry Magic Inspires St Brides to Upset IFC Favourites Geraldines

CTI Business Solutions Intermediate Football Championship – Group 3 Round 1

From Cullen Autoparts Louth GAA Training Centre, Darver

St Brides 3-13
Geraldines 0-13

St Brides announced themselves in emphatic fashion on the opening weekend of the CTI Business Solutions Intermediate Football Championship, producing a superb all-round display to topple competition’s favourites, Geraldines, at Darver on Friday evening.

Guided by the vastly experienced management duo of Eamonn O’Neill and Paul Gibney, St Brides combined tremendous work rate and defensive resilience with real attacking quality to secure a statement 3-13 to 0-13 victory.

The Knockbridge men flew from the traps. Sean Marry opened the scoring inside the first minute before Kieran McArdle converted a two-point free. Marry then landed a magnificent two-pointer to leave St Brides 0-5 to 0-0 ahead after just eight minutes.

Geraldines gradually settled into the contest, however. Michael Rogers opened their account before Daniel Nordon and Jim McEneaney also found the target. St Brides suffered a further setback when Donal McArdle was black-carded after 16 minutes, allowing Geraldines to seize momentum.

David O’Connell struck twice before Rogers landed a two-pointer to edge Geraldines into a 0-7 to 0-6 lead.

St Brides needed a response and they found one.

Kieran McArdle and Andrew Smyth registered important scores, while Aaron Devin produced a brilliant save to deny McEneaney what looked a certain goal. Rogers added a late 45 for Geraldines, but St Brides had already found the major breakthrough, taking a 1-7 to 0-9 lead into the interval.

Half-time: St Brides 1-7 Geraldines 0-9.

Geraldines came out fighting after the restart. McEneaney punished St Brides with a free before Nordon reduced the gap to just two points at 1-7 to 0-11.

But then came the moment that swung the contest decisively towards St Brides.

Sean Marry, enjoying one of his finest displays in recent seasons, produced a brilliant piece of creation before Andrew Smyth finished clinically to the net for his second goal of the evening. Suddenly, St Brides had breathing room once again.

Senan Hoey, Beanon Corrigan and Donal McArdle traded scores as St Brides continued to keep their opponents at arm’s length. From there, the Knockbridge side began to take complete control.

Marry added another point before McArdle struck again to leave six between the teams. A further McArdle score stretched the advantage before Morgan Tobin delivered the final hammer blow, finding the net in the closing stages to complete a memorable evening for St Brides.

Nordon had the final score of the contest for Geraldines, but by then the damage had been done.

For St Brides, this was far more than simply two Championship points. It was a performance full of grit, organisation and attacking flair against one of the sides many had identified as serious contenders for Intermediate honours.

Full-time: St Brides 3-13 Geraldines 0-13.

Man of the Match – Sean Marry

Finishing with five points and playing a central role in St Brides’ attacking play throughout. Back fit and free from the injury troubles that have hampered him in recent times, the 2020 Intermediate Championship-winning star looked very much like his old self.

St Brides team: Aaron Devin; Steven Hoey, Cillian Kirk, Robert McCaughey; Ruairí Carpenter, Bernard Laverty, Ross Murnaghan; Paddy Reilly, James Costelloe; Donal McArdle (0-2), Andrew Smyth (2-0), Morgan Tobin (1-0); Kieran McArdle (0-5, 1tpf & 2f), Sean Marry (0-5, 1tp & 1f), Senan Hoey (0-1).

Subs: Neil Thornton for Ross Murnaghan (48 Mins), Nathan Kirk for Donal McArdle (56 Mins), Paraic Ruthledge for Senan Hoey (59 Mins), Matthew Kerr for Andrew Smyth (60 Mins).

Geraldines team: Cian O’Donoghue; Tiarnan Hand, Finn Madine, Jack McGailey; John McCrohan, Gareth Neacy, Thomas McNamara; Beanon Corrigan (0-2), Michael Rogers (0-4, 1tp, 1f & 1’45’); Josh Arrowsmith, James Craven, Darragh Burke; Daniel Nordon (0-3), Jim McEneaney (0-2, 1f), David O’Connell (0-2).

Subs: Jamie Callan for John McCrohan (32 Mins), Eoin McDonnell for Josh Arrowsmith (43 Mins), Sean McKenna for Jim McEneaney (47 Mins).

Referee: Stephen Devlin (St Josephs)