English fires Bridge United into McCalmont Cup Final

Bridge United’s quest for the McCalmont Cup is still intact as the Goresbridge outfit dug deep to secure a hard-earned win over Freebooters B on Sunday.

A brace of goals from former Wexford FC player and Bridge native, Conor English was enough to get the player/manager’s side over the line in a game United marginally deserved to win.

Bridge currently sit fourth in the Premier Division with Sunday’s win keeping their hunt for major silverware this season alive, while the Division Two champions can take some solace from the defeat being their first of the season.

Freebooters B began the opening five minutes in a menacing mood, passing the ball crisply and forcing Bridge United to hold a stern defensive shape, which ’Booters found difficult to breakdown.

However, Bridge United’s first substantial effort on goal opened the scoring in the eighth minute in Derdimus.

A foul on the edge of the Freebooters B box gave Conor English a free-kick. The chance wasn’t spurned as English’s effort took a deflection on its way past Cian Rowe and into the ’Booters net.

Both sides continued to create chances with Freebooters’ press in particular continuing to meet an impressive Bridge United defence with few gaps available to exploit at the back.

There were penalty calls from Freebooters B in the 22nd minute when Kian Dunne hit the deck but referee Ollie Falsey waved play on. However, the city club would draw level just past the half hour mark as Kian Dunne excellently controlled and crossed the ball first time across the Bridge United box where Sam Oyewole was on the hand to level the game at 1-1.

Bridge could have restored their lead nine minutes later when a clever ball in behind the ’Booters defence found Pierce Blanchfield, but his shot went over the crossbar.

The game’s third goal did come before half-time though. Conor English found himself on the edge of the Freebooters B box and hit a delightful low and sweet strike into the Booters net.

Bridge began to get more of a bearing in the match from this point with their top flight experience and game management shining through.

Another opportunity to provide a cushion for Bridge United came in 63rd minute when a swirling shot from Eoin Kavanagh went narrowly wide.

However, Freebooters B never wilted and pushed all the way to the finish with a number of chances forcing Bridge to be alert.
United did have reasonable calls for a third goal in added time when a ball was scrambled off the ’Booters line - it seemed to have crossed - but it mattered little as Bridge held on for victory.

Bridge United: Darragh Simpson, Chris Aylward, Louie Brennan, Craig Wall, Darragh Doyle, Nicholas Lianos, Eoin Kavanagh, Sean Murphy, Pierce Blanchfield, Conor English, Eoin O’Neill.

Freebooters B: Cian Rowe, Shane Maher, James Kelly, Ronan Walsh, Filip Nowakoski, Clayton Barry, Harry Maher, Sam Oyewole, Kian Dunne, Evan Buggy, Billy Wall.

Referee: Ollie Falsey. Assistants: Alan Dawson, Denys Serednii.