Roscommon SFC final replay: St Brigid’s 1-16 Pádraig Pearses 1-12
Goalkeeper Conor Carroll made three outstanding saves to deny Pádraig Pearses and procure a 19th county senior football title for St Brigid’s in another excellent advertisement for Roscommon club football at Dr Hyde Park.
While the standard didn’t reach the heights of last Sunday’s pulsating stalemate, it wasn’t far off as Bobby Nugent and Ben O’Carroll hit 0-5 apiece to underline the winners’ greater economy in front of the posts.
The opening half was all about Brigid’s making their push for home by kicking seven unanswered points in the second quarter to lead by two points at the break.
And yet that didn’t tell the whole story as Carroll made two outrageous saves and tipped a two-point attempt over the bar, which raised a white flag instead of an orange one.
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Pádraig Pearses enjoyed the wind in the opening 30 minutes but the teams were evenly matched for the opening quarter.
O’Carroll (free) and Senan Kilbride swapped points with Paul Carey – a shot he blazed over the bar after being picked out by a brilliant pass by Declan Kenny – and the impressive Jack Tumulty responding for Pearses.
In the 12th minute, Pearses struck what looked like a decisive blow. More brilliant approach work by Tumulty engineered space for Seán Canning and the dual player, who won a Nickey Rackard Cup medal with Roscommon earlier this year, blasted the ball to the net.
Pearses could have added a second goal moments later, but Carroll made a brilliant save to deny Eoin Colleran. However, there was some consolation for Pearses when Conor Ryan nailed the resultant 45.
Frank Canning’s side were motoring along nicely and extended their lead to four points when Colleran made inroads from the right flank and fisted a score.
But Nugent took the game by the scruff of the neck to get Brigid’s back to within two points, 1-4 to 0-5 after 18 minutes.
Then, another huge turning point as Carroll denied Hubert Darcy, and Brigid’s worked the ball upfield to procure the opening score of the afternoon for Ciarán Sugrue.
Brigid’s began to dominate after that as Conor Hand, Nugent (two) and Ben O’Carroll added to their side’s tally.
Ronan Daly’s two-pointer attempt was thwarted by Carroll and both sides headed to the dressingroom with St Brigid’s 0-10 to 1-5 in front.
Brigid’s extended their lead on the resumption with early points from O’Carroll and Brian Derwin but a black card for Hand gave Pearses some hope.
However, despite their numerical superiority for 10 minutes, Pearses were outscored by 0-2 to 0-1, while Carroll made a third outstanding save to deny Colleran.
Tumulty also saw a piledriver cannon back off the post as Pearses’ hunt for goals went unrewarded.
O’Carroll, Hand and Paul McGrath found the space to extend Brigid’s lead, and although a brace of Ryan two-pointers from frees kept Pearses just about in touch, Derwin’s scrappy goal with six minutes remaining confirmed Brigid’s as champions for the first time in two years.
ST BRIGID’S: C Carroll; R Smith, S Trundle, R Dolan; R Fallon, B Stack, P McGrath (0-0-1); S Cunnane, E Nolan; B Nugent (0-0-5, 3f), C Sugrue (0-0-1), C Hand (0-0-2); B Derwin (1-0-1), B O’Carroll (0-0-5, 3f), S Kilbride (0-0-1).
Subs: R Stack for Dolan (48 mins); E Derwin for Kilbride (51); M Daly for Smith (55); C O’Carroll for Nugent (59).
PÁDRAIG PEARSES: P Whelan; D Murray, M Richardson, C Lohan; C Harley, C Keogh, A McGreal; C Ryan (0-2-1, 2tpf, 1 45), D Kenny; S Canning (1-0-0), R Daly (0-0-1), J Tumulty (0-0-1); H Darcy (0-0-1), P Carey (0-0-2), E Colleran (0-0-2).
Subs: J Nevin for Harley (47 mins).
Referee: P Neilan (St Faithleach’s).
