Maguiresbridge 2-07 Brookeborough 2-11

Brookeborough took bragging rights with a derby victory over neighbours Maguiresbridge at Páirc na hÓige.

The sides kicked off the Club Players’ Competition with a Friday evening throw-in as Brookeborough made a fast start to the contest and would run out convincing winners despite a late ‘Bridge goal.

Manager Donal Boyle was delighted to pick up a win in his first game at the helm.

“It was a good win, they were missing the hurlers obviously, but we will take any win we can get,” he said after the game. “We have a very young team and need games to get experience.

"The whole team played very well I thought but Conall McDonagh at wing forward and Jerome McCarney at wing back were very good for us.”

Conor Howell kicked off the scoring as the visitors made a confident start.

Dwayne Rice swiftly responded at the other end when he cut inside his man before splitting the posts, but Brookeborough would hit three unanswered scores as Conall McDonagh lifted his head to point which was added to with a point from Rory Greene.

Howell added the fourth point when he came out and found space to send another shot over.

Mark Hughes converted a free kick at the other end of the for the home side, but a goal then followed as Brookeborough would go 1-05 to 0-02 up, after 20 minutes, as McDonagh registered another point and a moment later a loose ball across goal would fall kindly for Aaron Foy who stole in to find the net.

The sides then traded scores as Fionn Nolan landed a free and Dylan Bogue kicked a fine score.

The Bridge would find a goal of their own before the break as Stephen Reihill’s lofted ball towards the square was flicked into the net by Nolan with the score 1-06 to 1-03 at the break.

Brookeborough took control in the second half of the contest as they went from strength to strength.

Bogue and Greene pointed as McDonagh added a second goal when he latched onto a ball into the square and he made no mistake in finding the net.

Hughes added two frees for the Bridge but further points from Bogue, Eoin McCarney and Howell edged the away side into a healthy lead.

The hosts hit the final three scores of the game with Nolan and Eoin Cleary pointing while substitute Ryan Hyde also found the net with a right-footed shot in the final few seconds.