St Brigid’s 2-14 Padraig Pearses 2-7
Two late goals helped St. Brigid’s claim their 15th Roscommon senior football championship title in dramatic circumstances at Kiltoom.
A gallant Pearses side had eroded a three-point interval deficit to restore parity when Hubert Darcy fisted a 47th minute goal. The sides were still level with six minutes remaining, despite Karol Mannion blazing a 53rd minute penalty over the bar.
But the 2013 All-Ireland champions finished strongly and late goals from man of the match Ian Kilbride and joint-captain Darragh Donnelly handed the south Roscommon men their ninth Fahey Cup since 2005.
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, 1 pen).
Subs: P Kelly for Daly (40), F Dolan for McHugh (58), D Cunniffe (0-1) for D Dolan (59), N Grehan for E Sheehy (59), J McDonnell for Mannion (60).
Padriag 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, 2 f), R Daly, S Fahy (1-3, two frees)
Subs: A Mannion for Donoghue (49, black card), C Payne for S Dolan (49), D Glynn for C. Óg Sullivan (58), P Kelly for Carty (59).
Referee: P Daly.
