It might have been St Brigid’s cross to bear for two years – but essentially the same players have now successfully managed to carry the team back along the road to Croke Park.
Of the starting team from the 2024 All-Ireland senior club final defeat to Glen, 12 lined out from the off in Sunday’s semi-final victory over Scotstown.
Mark Daly, Seán Trundle and Conor Carroll did not play in the final two years ago but did start at Breffni Park last Sunday.
Daly was actually vice-captain in 2024 and named among the subs for that final. Trundle, who was only 21 at the time, was also among the subs two years ago. Carroll, the current Roscommon goalkeeper, transferred from his native club of Oranmore-Maree to join St Brigid’s last summer.
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Cormac Sheehy, Ronan Stack and Alan Daly started the 2024 final but were not in the first 15 last Sunday. Sheehy was the sub goalkeeper against Scotstown at the weekend, Stack came off the bench early in the second half while Daly was not part of the match-day squad.
It is testament to the character of the group that so many of the same players remain inside the dressingroom.
St Brigid’s had one hand on the Andy Merrigan Cup in 2024, leading the final by four points after 55 minutes. However, Glen – inspired by Conor Glass – outscored St Brigid’s 1-3 to 0-1 over the remainder of the game to pull off a dramatic late comeback.
St Brigid’s failed to defend their Roscommon title later that year, bowing out at the quarter-final stages, and there were doubts as to whether they could regroup for the 2025 campaign.
But they have answered all the questions asked of them since then – winning the Roscommon championship, coming out of Connacht and now they are back in an All-Ireland final for the fourth time.
Paul McGrath, who was voted TG4 Man of the Match last Sunday, is joint captain of the team alongside Brian Stack this season. McGrath was joint captain with Daly in 2024.
“Yeah, look, it’s been massive obviously. That hurt a lot that year,” admits McGrath of the 2024 loss.
“But I’d say the following year probably hurt more when we lost to Pearses in Roscommon. Every year, we just want to win Roscommon and then see what comes after that.
“We had to lick our wounds to see what we could do to come back better this year. We said, ‘Look, let’s just get fit from January to July-August, and then just play football and use that fitness.
“We actually did get a chance to draw level [in the 2024 All-Ireland final] but we were unlucky in the end. Look, that happens in games sometimes, it goes against you.
“When you’re playing at this level, there are top-class players all over the pitch. It was just an unbelievable goal [by Conor Glass that day].
“You can do your best trying to come back from that, but I think for any game it’s very difficult from that position when the momentum just flips.
“I think a lot of it, and people probably don’t want to admit it, but there’s a bit of luck to get this far. You just have to have that bit of luck. Like, that year, I think Corofin hit the bar twice against us and I think Castlehaven hit the bar against us.
“Against Scotstown this time, we’d two clearances off the line. Sometimes they go with you, and sometimes they go against you.”
But McGrath says the pain and hurt of that All-Ireland final loss has been used as fuel, especially during the hard winter training sessions.
“Yeah, you lean on it a bit. You probably lean on it during the runs you do with Cian [O’Dea, S&C coach]. But during games, you don’t want to be thinking about that, you just have to think what’s in front of you and use all the training you’ve put in over the year to just get over the line.
“Because when you’re out playing, you’re not thinking of Glen two years ago. I think it’s during the training, that’s where you grab that and you’re like, ‘Let’s drive it on here and see if we can do something special.’”
Jerome Stack was the manager in 2024 but Anthony Cunningham is now back at the helm of the club for what is his second stint.
Cunningham was Garrycastle boss in 2012 when they lost an All-Ireland club final to Crossmaglen after a replay. So, there is no shortage of motivating factors driving St Brigid’s ahead of this year’s decider against Dingle on Sunday, January 18th.
Dingle beat Ballyboden St Enda’s on Saturday to secure a maiden All-Ireland final appearance.
“As footballers, they’re just off the chart – Geaney, all them, left foot, right foot, it’s going to be a different level altogether against them,” added McGrath.
“I think it will be a different challenge, they’re probably similar to us with their fast attacks. We just have to do our homework on them.
“Just lean on our strengths as well. What’s important is to do what we do best and if we can do that, we’ll have a great chance of winning that game and any game.”
