Sport

Kelleher seals it for St Brigid's

St Brigid’s1-9 Elphin0-7

Mon Oct 10 2011 - 01:00

St Brigid’s1-9 Elphin0-7

A GOAL by wing-forward Damien Kelleher after 56 minutes clinched victory for St Brigid’s in a tense, physical Roscommon football final which improved after half-time.

This was a second successive final defeat for Elphin against St Brigid’s who reached the All-Ireland club final last March. The Kiltoom club had responded well to a second-half Elphin comeback and they closed out the game with four minutes remaining. Senan Kilbride’s pass slipped from the grasp of Cathal McHugh but Kelleher pounced on the ball and while his low shot was parried by goalkeeper Ronan Collins it had sufficient power to go over the line.

Elphin finished with 14 men after centre-back Paddy O’Connor was sent-off for a second bookable offence in the 20th minute.St Brigid’s raced into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after seven minutes as the game began more physical in wet and windy conditions before a crowd of about 2,500 at Hyde Park.

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Michael Callery had a goal chance for Elphin in the 20th minute but his shot was blocked by James Martin and Niall Grehan cleared the loose ball. Frankie Dolan ended 19-minute scoreless spell with a point from a 13-metre free and added a similar score three minutes later. Damien Cregg and Kilbride swapped points to leave the defending champions leading by 0-6 to 0-2 at half-time.

Two points from Elphin’s Fintan Cregg and a 45 by Benny Rock left just two points between the teams with 14 minutes remaining. However the influential Dolan steadied St Brigid’s with a marvellous point in the 47th minute and Karol Mannion stretched the gap to four. Fintan Cregg curled over a free for Elphin in the 52nd minute before Kelleher hit the clinching goal.

ST BRIGID’S: J Martin; N Grehan, D Donnelly, D Sheehy; E Sheehy, P Domican, G Cunniffe; K Mannion (0-1), G Dolan; D Dolan, C McHugh (0-1), D Kelleher (1-0); P Kelly (0-1), S Kilbride (0-2), F Dolan (0-4, 0-3 frees). Sub: I Kilbride for Kelly (46 mins).

ELPHIN: R Collins; J Carney, R Brady, D Cregg (0-1); K Brady, P O’Connor, S Beirne; S. Tiernan, B Cregg; M Callery, Fintan Cregg (0-3, 0-2 frees), G Brady; B Rock (0-1, 45), Frankie Cregg (0-1), C Beirne. Subs: G Cregg for Callery (44 mins), C Rock for G Brady (52 mins), D Hynes for S. Tiernan (56 mins).

Referee: P Neilan.