Red Hughs topple Naomh Brid in fiery affair

Red Hughs picked up their third All-County League Division 2 win on the bounce as they overcame visitors Naomh Brid in a bruising encounter in Killygordon.

Red Hughs 1-13 Naomh Brid 1-9

At times Eugene Browne’s charges looked like they comfortably had too much for their rivals from Ballintra. However, just as you were writing Sean Maher’s men off back they’d charge meaning this one eventually went right down to the wire. 

And in eight heated minutes of injury time referee Pat Barrett certainly had his hands full with the mercury spiking on a number of occasions there. 

Naomh Brid had made the more encouraging start and were in front inside the opening seconds through Darren Russell. On five minutes the home support weren’t happy with what they felt was a soft penalty call on Luke Browne as he looked to halt the advances of Liam Gallagher. 

Regardless, from the resulting spotkick Pauric McDaid thumped home off the underside of the crossbar to open up a four-point gap. The home side would soon find their groove however.

And with Calvin Bradley proving an excellent and direct foil inside, Red Hughs would rattle off the next six points on the trot to eventually go in at the break 0-6 to 1-1 to the good. 

The excellent Jack Gillespie - who’d finish with seven points to his name - lobbed over four of those, including three from play. Red Hughs’ other two overs came courtesy of Michael McMenamin and Cathiar Browne. 

The second period opened with Red Hughs having a penalty shout of their own denied when Darragh Brogan blocked Browne’s goalbound effort with his foot, inside the area. However, the whistle had already been blown for a free that occurred just prior and - from the resulting kick - Gillespie easily clipped over.

Gearoid Gallagher then opened Naomh Brid’s second-half account but with Michael Gallagher interfering with the troublesome Bradley off the ball, a close range free again allowed Gillespie to make it a three-point game. 

On 38 minutes Bradley finally got the joy all his previous endeavour deserved when he fired in a fine goal as the hosts went 1-8 to 1-2 clear. 

But credit to the Trummon outfit, they dug deep and with Pauric McDaid landing a pair of back to back frees to go alongside points from Eoin Rush and Darragh Brogan, we suddenly had a two-point game going into the last quarter. 

In between, Red Hughs went down to 14 men for a period as Shane Gallagher collected a black card. 

James Doherty then landed a crucial point to stem that Naomh Brid momentum but another Brogan effort again left just two between the teams at 1-9 to 1-7. Bradley and McDaid traded white flags at either end as matters drifted into injury time. 

Gillespie once again increased his side’s lead to three but with sporadic scuffles now frequently breaking out, this one was beginning to become a little messy. A second yellow card for James Doherty saw him walk before the end as play continued deep into the red. 

Four minutes past the hour McDaid, from another free, again left his side two off the pace at 1-11 to 1-9. Before the end,Jason Callaghan and Odhran Doherty sealed matters for Red Hughs as Michael Gallagher also picked up a black card for Naomh Brid in the dying seconds. 

Red Hughs scorers: Jack Gillespie 0-7,4f; Calvin Bradley 1-1; James Doherty 0-1; Cathair Browne 0-1; Michael McMenamin 0-1, Jason Callaghan 0-1; Odhran Doherty 0-1. 

Naomh Brid scorers: Pauric McDaid 1-4,1P,4f; Darragh Brogan 0-2; Darren Russel 0-1; Gearoid Gallagher 0-1; Eoin Rush 0-1.   

Red Hughs: Luke Kelly; Aaron McGlinchey, Thomas McMenamin, Luke Browne; Shane Gallagher, James Doherty, Cian Gallagher; Darragh McMenamin, Jack Gillespie; Peadar McGlinchey, Brian Irwin, James Carlin; Cathair Browne, Calvin Bradley, Michael McMenamin. 

Subs: Jason Callaghan for Irwin (44), Gerard Melaugh for J Carlin (53),Odhran Doherty for C Gallagher (54).  

Naomh Brid: Adam Burr; Billy Harron, Sen Gormley, Michael Gallagher; Eoin McGarrigle, Gary McCafferty, Liam Duffy; Gearoid Gallagher, Eoin Rush; Darragh Brogan, Darren Russell, Declan McCafferty; Liam Gallagher, Pauric McDaid, Aaron McGrory. 

Subs: Conor McNulty for McGrory (44). 

Referee: Pat Barrett (Milford).