Brennan's role pivotal

Colleges All-Ireland final Knockbeg 2-8 St Mary's 0-11: You don't win the All-Ireland colleges football title for the first time without some special talent, and Knockbeg College of Carlow definitely had that in Donie Brennan.

Already good enough to make the Laois senior team, Brennan wasn't at his most dazzling in Semple Stadium yesterday, but his influence on Knockbeg's victory was undeniable.

It's possible to count Brennan's contribution on three fingers - his goal, the goal he set up, and the point that effectively secured the win. Almost everything else came down to the determination and self-belief of those around him, including goalkeeper Colm Munnelly who made two outstanding saves.

This title has proved something of a holy grail for Knockbeg. Winners of their first Leinster title in 1920, yesterday still marked their first appearance in the All-Ireland final.

St Mary's of Galway hadn't won this title either and their desire was equally evident. They did win the greater share of possession and produced the best individual display of the day, from midfielder Edward Hoare, but they couldn't make that count on the scoreboard.

Knockbeg were made work for this victory every step of the way. St Mary's burly full forward Eoin Concannon opened the scoring after 20 seconds, but Knockbeg replied first with a Colm Doran free, then Brennan's goal - created by Shane O'Neill and finished with Brennan's trademark panache.

Both teams let their accuracy slip for the rest of the half, and had St Mary's shown a little more conviction they could have eased back in front. Instead they went into the break 1-5 to 0-5 in arrears, with points from Conor Behan and Philip Lydon their best return from all their possession.

The drizzling rain didn't help either team with their style of play, but the St Mary's forwards continued to squander far too much of their possession. They replaced four of them in an effort to jazz things up, but still the scoreboard remained stagnant.

It was 12 minutes into the half before Concannon reduced the gap to two points, but just moments later Seán Ramsbottom caught an inch-perfect pass from Brennan, and Knockbeg had their second goal. Shortly after that Munnelly made his first telling save, and with that the game developed an air of inevitability.

Hoare did his best to keep St Mary's hopes alive during the second half, winning plenty of possession in the middle and scoring three points in quick succession. But just as the tension started to mount, Brennan was set up by Conway to produce perhaps the most pivotal score of the match.

A final frenzy from the Galway students ended with Hoare's blazing shot brilliantly stopped by Munnelly

KNOCKBEG COLLEGE: C Munnelly; J White, P Fleming, D Lally; D Lynskey, P Moloney, S Shorthall; S O'Neill, B O'Shea; P Byrne (0-1), D Brennan capt (1-1), C Doran (0-1, free); S O'Shea (0-1), S Ramsbottom (1-1), D Conway (0-3, two frees). Sub: K Smith for Lynskey (half-time).

ST MARY'S: R Hannon; F Duggan, J Ruane, K O'Connor; G Joyce, G Bradshaw capt, K Sheridan; E Hoare (0-4, one free), C Bohan (0-1); D Lee, R McCann (0-1), P Lydon (0-1); P Conroy (0-1, a free), E Concannon (0-3, one free), D O'Connell.Subs: J O'Malley for Lydon (29 mins), V Faherty for O'Malley (35 mins, inj), S Kavanagh for Conroy (39 mins), C Healy for McCann (50 mins), A Finnerty for Lee (55 mins).

Referee: P McEnaney (Monaghan).