Senior Football Championship
Bryansford 2-11 Saul 2-10
By Ronan Scott
BRYANSFORD reached the quarter-finals of the Senior Championship on Friday night with a close victory over Saul, in which they had to show ‘great character’ according to their coach.
It is a remarkable turn around for a team that had to win a relegation play-off last year to stay in the Senior Championship. Bryansford are managed by Mark Copeland who is assisted by coach Ciaran Brannigan. Ciaran said: “It was a great result. It went right down to the line, but that was expected. “It started off going to plan, but once Saul got their foothold in the game, they started causing us problems.”
Digging out victories in tight games was something that Bryansford didn’t do in 2025, but a year later they are showing the signs of a confident team. Ciaran said: “To be four points down and to then come back and win by a point showed great character. “It is in the group now that they are going to dig out big moments.”
Bryansford led by 1-3 to 0-3 midway through the first half. By half-time, they led 1-6 to 0-5. “We just weren’t as productive at the other end of the field as we would have liked,” Ciaran said. “We knew going in at half-time that we might not have put enough on the scoreboard to give us the comfort room we needed.”
The second half was a dramatic affair as Saul managed to get in front at the 45-minute stage, 2-8 to 1-10. “They came out and kicked two goals in the second half, which put us under pressure. “They had clamped down on a few of our inside forwards so it was tough to get them on the ball.”
Yet, Saul scored just two points in the final 15 minutes, while Bryansford hit a goal and a point. “We got a well worked goal that got us back into the game. Then we got a lovely score to go on and win it.”
