St Brigid's 0-12 Boyle 0-11
St Brigid's are the Roscommon senior football champions for the first time since 2020 after overcoming Boyle in a tight, tense final at Dr Hyde Park.
Jerome Stack’s side were marginally the better side, and led by Shane Cunnane, Ruaidhrí Fallon and Player of the Match, Paul McGrath, they claimed their 18th title.
For Boyle, the wait for a first senior championship since 1927 continues and, just like last year, an agonising one-point defeat will be hard to take.
They had the chance to bring the game to extra-time, but Cian McKeon undercooked his free from the left flank, and seconds later referee Aaron Clogher sounded his final whistle.
The opening half was a cagey affair, with neither side unable to establish a sustained foothold.
St Brigid’s were 0-04 to 0-02 ahead after 19 minutes, with a couple of scores from Shane Cunnane and another by Paul McGrath the pick of the bunch.
But frees by McKeon and Donie Smith, which could just as easily have been a penalty, left Boyle on level terms.
Brian Stack edged St Brigid’s back in front but Enda Smith showed wonderful leadership to restore parity for his side, 0-05 apiece, at the break.
A mark from Cunnane was sandwiched between a couple of frees by Ben O’Carroll as Brigid’s made the better start to the second half.
But Boyle were far from finished and a couple of rapid-fire scores from Donie Smith and Oisín Cregg hauled the North Roscommon side back to within a point.
They created a huge goal chance as well but Donie Smith — working his way along the endline — opted to pass to his brother Enda when Niall O’Donnell was in a better position on the edge of the small square, and the opportunity went abegging.
St Brigid’s were beginning to find an extra yard of space in the Boyle defence and when scores by Bobby Nugent, Conor Hand and Cunnane (free) pushed them 0-11 to 0-08 clear, it was the biggest lead they had enjoyed all afternoon.
To Boyle’s credit, they came again with a hat-trick of scores from Niall O’Donnell, Oisín Cregg and McKeon (free) to leave just a point between them.
McGrath and McKeon swapped points before McKeon was presented with his chance, after pressure forced Seán Trundle into overcarrying possession, but the effort fell short and Boyle hearts were broken once more.
St Brigid’s: Cormac Sheehy; Seán Trundle, Brian Stack (0-01), Pearse Frost; Ruaidhri Fallon, Ronan Stack, Paul McGrath (0-02); Eddie Nolan, Shane Cunnane (0-04, 0-01 mark, 0-01 free); Conor Hand (0-01), Ciarán Sugrue, Robbie Dolan; Ben O’Carroll (0-03, 0-03f), Alan Daly, Bobby Nugent (0-01).
Subs used: Brian Derwin for Nugent (42), Mark Daly for Dolan (54).
Boyle: Robert Kearney; Daniel Casey, Luke Glennon, Killian Cox; Oisín Cregg (0-01), Tadhg McKenna (0-01), Marc O’Connor; Roch Hanmore, Enda Smith (0-01); Niall O’Donnell (0-02), Cathal Feely (0-01), David Flanagan; Daire Cregg, Donie Smith (0-02, 0-01f), Cian McKeon (0-03, 0-02f).
Subs used: Dylan East for Hanmore (46), Eden Kerins for Flanagan (51), Seán Purcell for O’Connor (56).
Referee: Aaron Clogher (Pádraig Pearses).
