Northside neighbours to meet in final

DUBLIN SFC SEMI-FINALS:NORTHSIDE NEIGHBOURS St Brigid's and St Oliver Plunkett's/ Eoghan Ruadh will contest the Dublin senior football championship final next Sunday after surviving titanic struggles at Parnell Park last Saturday.

For Blanchardstown giants St Brigid’s, it’s a chance to make up for the disappointment of losing last year’s final to Kilmacud, while star-studded Plunkett’s will be in search of their first crown.

St Brigid’s needed extra time to see off Ballymun Kickhams by 1-18 to 1-12 in a gripping semi-final that saw dominance see-saw between the teams. A Ballymun side managed by Dublin hero Paul Curran exploded into life with Kevin Leahy inspiring them into a five-point lead inside the first seven minutes.

And when Derek Byrne crashed in a great goal to help them to a 1-8 to 0-5 interval lead they had one foot firmly in the final.

But Ballymun were rocked by an inspired second-half display from a rejigged St Brigid’s who were led by Dublin All-Ireland-winning star Barry Cahill and ably assisted by Lorcan McCarthy, Paddy Andrews, Ken Darcy and Laois’ county player John O’Loughlin.

Kickhams only scored their first point of the second half in the 28th minute through James Burke but then a Dean Rock free looked to have clinched a dramatic win – only for their midfielder Davey Byrne to be penalised for fouling the ball and gifting an equalising free for Darcy to force extra-time.

The momentum remained with St Brigid’s in additional time and they made sure of the win when Philly Ryan drilled to the net in the 77th minute as a frustrated Ballymun lost Byrne and Furman to second yellow cards as their dream of a first crown since 1985 evaporated.

Earlier, St Oliver Plunkett’s/ Eoghan Ruadh needed a stellar 1-7 contribution from Bernard Brogan to see off a spirited Lucan Sarsfields by 1-12 to 1-8.

A fancied Plunkett’s looked in control until Lucan finally began to click up front and scored a great goal through Dermot Gallagher in the 46th minute. They were also controversially denied a penalty in the 55th minute. But Plunkett’s could call on their heavyweight Dublin expertise of the Brogan brothers Bernard, Alan and Paul, as well as Ross McConnell, Jason Sherlock and Meath’s Anthony Moyles to avert a shock.