Na Fianna win title with spirited late flourish

A grey afternoon at Parnell Park was only briefly set alight when Na Fianna increased the tempo in the closing quarter hour and wore down a spirited St Brigid's to come out comfortable winners of the Dublin senior football title - their first in 20 years and third in total.

St Brigid's arrived knowing they were the young meeting the experienced, and despite a courageous showing in their first ever final, the slight shortcomings were revealed once Na Fianna got into their stride.

The crowd of about 8,000 certainly deserved a better affair. Instead, they saw Mick Galvin prove that at 36 years of age there is still some life in the old legs and Declan Darcy underline his match-winning potential if only he had the quality elsewhere to back him up.

Na Fianna cracked open most of the early breaks and went in to a three point lead thanks to Dessie Farrell and duel basketball player Karl Donnelly in the full forwards and Des Mackin at midfield. Yet Na Fianna still appeared a little scattered in places, with Galvin especially slow to find his feet. Farrell's lack of fitness was also showing and the forward movement hinged more on the tireless work of Senan Connell. Darcy duly picked up the slack with his free-taking to give Brigid's a brief lead and Cormac O'Muircheartaigh forced an important save from Stephen Gray. The Brigid's defence was also more than capable of standing up to the pressure of Jason Sherlock and company. Peader Andrews is still an upcoming defender to be reckoned with despite his shaky debut to championship football this summer, along with the three young Cahill brothers, Martin, Declan and Dermot.

An important free by Ian Foley just before the break, Na Fianna's first score since the 12th minute, brought the scores level at 0-5 apiece. Darcy shot over two more points and younger brother Ken also came into a more attacking role from midfield. Yet McGeeney and then Galvin combined to leave the sides level again at 0-8 at the three-quarter hour stage. It was still anyone's game.

Then Na Fianna landed the deciding score on the 47th minute mark. Farrell clipped a high-flying ball into the goalmouth that at first seemed to be going wide but didn't stop Mackin from chancing his luck with a punching first from the corner of the square that sent the ball into the net. From there on Na Fianna looked the complete outfit that had outclassed last year's champions Kilmacud Crokes. Connell started a superb run that passed through McGeeney and Foley for one of the more impressive scores of the game. Galvin also scored three before the end that sent the title back to Glasnevin.

Darcy still never lost sight of his scores and there was a lingering feeling that if had got better support then it could have been different. Dublin manager Tommy Carr could be satisfied with the expanding range of options for the year ahead.

NA FIANNA: S Gray; S McGlinchy, B Quinn, T Lynch; M Foley, K McGeeney (0-1), P McCarthy; S Forde, D Mackin (1-1); M Galvin (0- 5, four frees), S Connell, J Sherlock; D Farrell (0-1), K Donnelly (0-1), I Foley (0-3, two frees). Subs: D Keegan (0-1) for Forde (40 mins), A Shearer for Mackin (60 mins).

ST BRIGID'S: C Boyle; M Cahill, Declan Cahill, K Nolan; P Andrews, Dermot Cahill, K Keane; K Darcy (0-1), J Ward; C Kilmurray, D Darcy (0-9, four frees, one 45), C O'Muircheartaigh; D Fitzgerald (0-1, a free), C McGlynn, K Kilmurray (0-1). Subs: P Molloy for McGlynn (51 mins), K Kehilly for Fitzgerald (57 mins).

Referee: J Turner (Thomas Davis).