St. Brigid's (Roscommon) 1-16 Maigh Cuilinn (Galway) 1-14
Ruaidhrí Fallon's goal three minutes from time alongside a seven-point haul from Conor Hand were the key ingredients in St Brigid’s winning a sixth Connacht club title after an epic battle with Maigh Cuilinn at King and Moffatt Dr Hyde Park.
Maigh Cuilinn will have regrets over a hatful of missed chances but the Roscommon champions always remained in contention, and Fallon was on hand to plunge the dagger into the Galway champions’ hearts with the game’s defining score.
Cathal Clancy’s side made a dream start when Seán O’Connor set up Fionn McDonagh for a fisted point in the second minute before Seán Kelly’s delivery was punched to the net by Fiachra McDonagh a minute later.
Both sides’ radar went on the blink with a couple of wides, while Maigh Cuilinn were incensed when Eddie Nolan’s challenge on Johnny Moloney went unpunished as the number 10 bore down on the Brigid’s goal.
Bobby Nugent opened St. Brigid’s account from a ninth minute free before both sides squandered further chances — Ben O’Carroll miscuing a two-point attempt before Fionn McDonagh sent a presentable free wide.
Fionn McDonagh bided his time before handing Maigh Cuilinn a 1-02 to 0-01 lead.
Then, out of nothing, Hand landed a monstrous two-pointer to haul his side back into contention.
Maigh Cuilinn midfielder Paul Kelly and St. Brigid’s forward Ben O’Carroll swapped points but the excellent Niall Walsh restored the visitors’ three-point lead after 19 minutes.
A pass from Brian Derwin didn’t make it to Eddie Nolan but O’Carroll picked up the rebound to grab his second score of the afternoon.
Hand left one between them after 21 minutes but a score from Fiachra McDonagh looked like consolidating Maigh Cuilinn’s half-time lead.
But, in what was the last action of the half, St. Brigid’s broke up a Maigh Cuilinn attack, allowing Hand to run half the length of the field and kick a superb two-pointer — his second of the half — to leave St. Brigid’s on level terms, 0-08 to 1-05, at the change of ends.
A high-quality second half saw Brian Derwin and Niall Walsh exchange early scores before Ciarán Sugrue nudged Anthony Cunningham’s charges back in front.
But Maigh Cuilinn, who introduced Peter Cooke for the injured Seán O’Mahony before the break, took over around the middle third as a David Wynne score was followed by a two-pointer from Dessie Conneely and a single by Fionn McDonagh to catapult their side 1-10 to 0-10 in front after 37 minutes.
Shane Cunnane and Hand replied with scores to leave their side very much in the hunt but, despite continuing to lord primary possession around the middle, Maigh Cuilinn couldn’t translate their dominance to the scoreboard.
A mark by Conneely was cancelled out by Hand’s seventh point of the game. Substitute Mark Daly brought the sides level before Paul McGrath edged Brigid’s in front with nine minutes remaining.
Conneely levelled matters before a brilliant point from the left flank by David Wynne edged Moycullen back in front.
However, St. Brigid’s landed the killer blow when Mark Daly competed for an effort from Hand that dropped short. Ciarán Sugrue picked up the pieces and played the ball out to Fallon who kept his cool to find the net.
Conneely scored his fifth point of the game from a free, but when Maigh Cuilinn were punished for a three-up breach, O’Carroll pointed the resultant straightforward free to confirm St. Brigid’s as champions and set up an All-Ireland semi-final meeting against the Ulster champions in early January.
St. Brigid’s: Conor Carroll; Ruairi Smith, Seán Trundle, Robbie Dolan; Ruaidhrí Fallon (1-00), Brian Stack, Paul McGrath (0-01); Shane Cunnane (0-01), Eddie Nolan; Ciarán Sugrue (0-01), Conor Hand (0-07, 2 0-02p), Bobby Nugent (0-01, 0-01f); Ben O’Carroll (0-03, 0-01f), Senan Kilbride, Brian Derwin (0-01).
Subs: Mark Daly (0-01) for Kilbride (43), Ronan Stack for Smith (45), Charlie O’Carroll for Nugent (49), Eoghan Derwin for Sugrue (60).
Maigh Cuilinn: Pierce Greally; Aidan Claffey, Michael Moughan, Eoghan Kelly; Seán O’Connor, Seán Kelly, David Wynne (0-02); Paul Kelly (0-01), Tom Clarke; Johnny Moloney, Niall Walsh (0-02), Gerard Davoren; Fionn McDonagh (0-03), Fiachra McDonagh (1-01), Dessie Conneely (0-05, 0-02f, 0-01m, 0-01f).
Subs: Peter Cooke for O’Connor (26), James McLoughlin for Fiachra McDonagh (49), Conor Corcoran for Clarke (60).
Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo).
