St Brigid’s always in control as they reclaim Roscommon title

St. Brigid’s 2-14 Padraig Pearses 2-7

Frankie Dolan hailed his side’s “incredible effort” as St. Brigid’s became Roscommon champions once again after a one-year sabbatical.

Two late goals from Ian Kilbride and Darragh Donnelly helped Brigid’s claim their 15th Fahey Cup after Padraig Pearses had overturned a three-point half-time deficit with a rousing second-half display.

“It was a great win but it should have been over at half time. We probably should have hit 1-12 or 1-13 in that first half. We have away a sloppy 1-2 that we weren’t happy with. It kept them in the game,” noted joint-manager Dolan, who also entered the fray in the last ten minutes.

“We missed chance after chance again in the second half. Our composure wasn’t the best. Fair dues to Pearses, they kept fighting and fighting. They came back to draw the game, and even had a chance to go one up but Conor Daly pulled it wide.

“We steadied the ship in the end. We were disappointed with our defence during the mid-section of the second half. In fairness to Ian (Kilbride) and Darragh Donnelly, they injected that bit of pace we were looking for to break the Pearses line.

“I’m just delighted for the club, the backroom team and the players. We were very low last year when we were deservedly beaten by Clann na nGael. You hear people talk about effort but what these players have put in has been incredible,” he explained.

St. Brigid’s should have been out of sight at the break. Despite dominating the bulk of possession, they kicked eight wides.

But they registered some good scores as well. Darren Dolan got the ball rolling with a superbly-struck effort with the outside of his right boot in the second minute. A foul on Conor McHugh resulted in a 50-metre free from Karol Mannion.

Conor Murray was next to find the target in spectacular fashion after Niall McInerney had cut out a rare Pearses attack.

The home side should have goaled in the tenth minute but Brian Stack blazed over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Then Garvan Dolan stretched his side’s lead to five points with a fine score after being picked out by Mannion.

Shane Carty had a good goal chance for Pearses but Ronan Stack made a miraculous intervention on the goal line.

Seán Fahy finally got Pearses off the mark from 16th minute free but further points from Darragh Sheehy and Karol Mannion left Brigid’s 0-7 to 0-1 ahead after 21 minutes.

Fahy added another free before the Pearses corner-forward palmed the ball to the net following good work Niall and Ronan Daly. There was still time for Darren Dolan to bisect the posts to hand Brigid’s a 0-8 to 1-2 interval advantage.

Pearses had the deficit wiped out within eight minutes of the restart. Cathal McHugh had suggested that Brigid’s would continue to dominate with a 32nd minute point but scores from Tom Butler, Darcy (two frees) and Shane Dolan tied up the contest.

Brigid’s made a fresh spurt for home with points from Darren Dolan, Garvan Dolan and Brian Stack but Darcy’s opportunism in front of goal left the sides level once more.

Mannion, after Senan Kilbride had won a penalty, and Fahy swapped points, but Frankie Dolan and Eddie Lohan’s charges wouldn’t be denied as Kilbride and Donnelly netted. Both teams finished with 14 players as Garvan Dolan and Niall Daly were sent off in injury time.

Brigid’s now play Leitrim champions Aughawillan in the Connacht semi-final.

ST. BRIGID'S: S. Mannion; D. Donnelly (1-0), N. McInerney, D. Sheehy (0-1); R. Stack, I. Kilbride (1-0), E. Sheehy; G. Dolan (0-2), M. Daly; B. Stack (0-2), D. Dolan (0-3), C. Murray (0-1); C. McHugh (0-1), S. Kilbride, K. Mannion (0-3, two frees, one penalty). Subs used: P. Kelly for Daly (40 mins), F. Dolan for McHugh (58 mins), D. Cunniffe (0-1) for D. Dolan (59 mins), N. Grehan for E. Sheehy (59 mins), J. McDonnell for Mannion (60 mins).

PADRAIG PEARSES: A. McManus; N. Carty, A. Butler, D. Murray; C. Óg Sullivan, C. Daly, M. Richardson; T. Butler (0-1), E. Donoghue; N. Daly, S. Carty, S. Dolan (0-1); H. Darcy (1-2, two frees), R. Daly, S. Fahy (1-3, two frees). Subs used: A. Mannion for Donoghue (49 mins, black card), C. Payne for S. Dolan (49 mins), D. Glynn for C. Óg Sullivan (58 mins), P. Kelly for Carty (59 mins).

Referee: P. Daly.