Morgan Fuels Down SFC quarter-final
Bryansford 0-11 Glenn 0-16
GLENN have reached back-to-back Down championship semi-finals after an impressive victory over Bryansford in Mayobridge yesterday.
The John Mitchels side, inspired by Jack McCartan, came storming out of the blocks at the start of the second half and the Newcastle side never recovered.
Glenn were probably worthy of their two-point lead at the break, Shay Millar finishing a well-worked move with a fine score to finish the first half scoring.
Glenn welcomed back Jack McCartan, Liam Bagnall and Dylan Bagnall to the starting line-up. They had missed the previous round, but it was the ever-present Shay Millar who had the ball in the back of the net in the opening minutes.
However, it was relief for the Newcastle men that referee Gavin Finnegan awarded a free-out for a rash challenge on keeper Tom Burns.
The sides were level on two occasions in the first period as Millar and Joe Sands put Glenn into the early lead before Danny Savage (free), Daniel McKibben and target-man Ryan O’Higgins hit back to edge Bryansford ahead.
The pacey Patrick Brooks grabbed two first-half points, one off each foot, and Jack McCartan (free) put Glenn in front and while Savage and McKibben managed to close the gap they couldn’t catch their opponents.
Glenn were able to get inside the Bryansford defence but appeared to make that one pass too many, instead of pulling the trigger, on several occasions.
Glenn came flying out of the traps at the start of the second half with five points in as many minutes from Oran Byrne, Millar, a long-range stunner from Sands and a brace from McCartan.
Savage’s free stopped the rot and with former Down star Conor Maginn picking out passes the Newcastle men closed the gap to five, but only briefly as Glenn regained control.
Joe Sands and three in a row from the brilliant McCartan put Glenn seven points to the good and with just under 10 minutes remaining Bryansford needed goals. But, they relied too heavily on Danny Savage’s frees to make any impact on the scoreboard and there was no late comeback.
Scorers
Bryansford D Savage 0-7f; D McKibben & R O’Higgins 0-2 each
Glenn J McCartan 0-5 (0-4f); S Millar, O Byrne & J Sands (2f) 0-3 each; P Brooks 0-2
