Ciarán Sugrue’s goal helps St Brigid’s finally shake off Mohill and book final slot

Connacht SFC semi-final: St Brigid’s (Roscommon) 1-7 Mohill (Leitrim) 0-8

Ciarán Sugrue’s 46th-minute goal was decisive in swinging a tight Connacht club football semi-final St Brigid’s way at Dr Hyde Park and set up a final meeting with Corofin.

A plucky Mohill side gave as good as they got for long periods and will be disappointed not to have caused a big upset and reached a first provincial decider.

Eamonn O’Hara’s side frustrated their more fancied hosts for long periods, and a late rally, which procured three points in succession to leave just two points between the sides, had Brigid’s nerves fraying. So much so that manager Jerome Stack felt the need to introduce All Star nominee Brian Stack, who had been injured seven days ago, to help the Roscommon champions see the game out.

Despite playing with the aid of a strong breeze, Mohill set up defensively. Their endeavour to frustrate Brigid’s worked, although realistically they needed more than a one-point lead at the interval.

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Keith Beirne landed three points, including two from play, while Jordan Reynolds also found the target. However, Reynolds and Ronan Kennedy were culpable of missing some decent chances, while midfielder Domhnaill Flynn, who was shown a black card in the 18th minute, also fluffed his lines after a strong run.

Up the other end of the pitch, Brigid’s tried to be patient as they probed for an opening. But they couldn’t get the ball into their danger man Ben O’Carroll, and all they had to show for their first-half efforts was a pair of frees from Bobby Nugent and another from O’Carroll.

Trailing by 0-4 to 0-3 at the break, the expectation was that Brigid’s would push on with the strong wind behind them. However, that didn’t materialise, partly because the home team couldn’t find their groove in the face of resolute Mohill defending.

It took defender Ronan Stack to bring the sides level after 36 minutes but Brigid’s had to wait until the 44th minute for the lead score from substitute Brian Derwin.

Two minutes later, however, they struck the decisive blow. Nugent gathered Cormac Sheehy’s kick-out and the ball was worked quickly through Eddie Nolan and Ronan Stack to O’Carroll. He then fed the supporting Sugrue who bundled the ball over the line.

Mohill responded with an inspirational score from Flynn, but Brigid’s kicked the next two scores through substitute John Cunningham and Nugent (free) to leave five points between the teams with eight minutes remaining.

Yet, they were hanging on at the end as Mohill rallied with points from Conor Quinn, Kennedy and Beirne. But Brigid’s survived to set up a Connacht final meeting against Galway champions Corofin at Dr Hyde Park in two weeks’ time.

ST BRIGID’S: C Sheehy; L Griselain, S Trundle, P Frost; R Stack (0-1), A Daly, R Fallon; E Nolan, S Cunnane; C Hand, P McGrath, R Dolan; B O’Carroll (0-1, free), C Sugrue (1-0), B Nugent (0-3, three frees).

Subs: B Derwin (0-1) for Trundle (h-t); J Cunningham (0-1) for Hand (50 mins); M Daly for Sugrue (56), B Stack for Nugent (60).

MOHILL: P Tighe; J Mitchell, S Harkin, R Bohan; A Tuthill, S Quinn, D Mitchell; D Flynn (0-1), C Quinn (0-1); K Keegan, K Beirne (0-4, one free), R Gordon; R Kennedy (0-1), J Reynolds (0-1), E Harkin.

Subs: A Armstrong for D Mitchell (37 mins); E Madden for Gordon (41); T Mulligan for E Harkin (50); C Canning for Tuthill (52).

Referee: J Molloy (Galway).