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Hogan Cup: Clifford inspires St Brendan's

St Brendans Killarney captured the Hogan Cup.

St Brendans Killarney captured the Hogan Cup.

HOGAN CUP (ALL IRELAND COLLEGES SENIOR FOOTBALL A) FINAL

ST BRENDAN'S KILLARNEY, KERRY 2-13 ST PAT'S MAGHERA, DERRY 2-6

By Jackie Cahill at Croke Park

St Brendan's Killarney are Hogan Cup champions for the first time since 1992. 

The ‘Sem’ ended a 24-year wait for glory at Croke Park this afternoon, claiming a seven-point victory against St Pat’s, Maghera.

Both captains were sent off in the second half before St Brendan’s finished with a flourish to win the Masita GAA All-Ireland Colleges senior A football crown for a third time. 

David Clifford contributed a massive haul of 2-5 for the winners as St Pat’s were denied a sixth Hogan cup win. 

For St Brendan’s, this was a sweet victory following most recent final defeats in 2008 and 2010.

They came with a brilliant late kick to do it, as Clifford bagged two late goals before superb wing-forward Dara Moynihan clipped over his fourth point deep in stoppage time to add gloss to the final scoreline. 

Both teams were reduced to 14 men in the second half, St Pat’s losing captain and Hawthorn-bound Conor Glass to a straight red card in the 45th minute, while St Brendan’s skipper Dan O’Brien was dismissed with five minutes of normal time remaining. 

The sides were level when O’Brien saw red for an off the ball incident involving the leading marksman for St Pat’s, Shane McGuigan, but St Brendan’s outscored their opponents by 2-2 to 0-1 after that.  

Moynihan nudged St Brendan’s into a 0-12 to 2-5 lead after O’Brien’s red card before Jack Doherty ended a 20-minute scoring drought for St Pat’s to level matters.

But Clifford netted in the 58th minute and again in the third minute of stoppage time to seal the deal for the Sem. 

Victory for St Brendan’s ensures that the Hogan Cup remains in Kerry, following victories for Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne in the previous two seasons. 

And yet it was St Pat’s who led by a point at half-time, McGuigan popping over his third point, and second free, to establish a 1-5 to 0-7 interval lead.

On the balance of play, it was just about the right outcome as St Pat’s missed a penalty in the fifth minute, when David Carroll saved brilliantly from Francis Kearney after Oisin McWilliams was fouled by Niall Donohue. 

St Pat’s did find the net three minutes later, when Donohue’s slip allowed Patrick Kearney to blast a low shot past Carroll, after taking a handpass from Conal Darragh. 

St Brendan’s were slow to settle, but they eased themselves into contention and were level by the 20th minute at 0-5 to 1-2, as David Clifford popped over a neat point from play. 

Clifford’s free handed the 'Sem' the lead for the second time in the game, 0-6 to 1-2, before points from Shane McGuigan and Shea Downey, son of Seamus and nephew of Derry’s 1993 All-Ireland winning captain Henry, edged St Pat’s back in front. 

Lively St Brendan’s forward Dara Moynihan restored parity before McGuigan handed St Pat’s a slim lead at the break.

McGuigan opened the second half scoring with a 37th minute goal but St Pat’s went 20 minutes without a score thereafter.  

Scorers for St Brendan’s: D Clifford 2-5 (2fs), D Moynihan 0-4, E Cronin, D Shaw, M Casey, and L O’Donoghue (45) 0-1 each.

Scorers for St Pat’s: S McGuigan 1-3 (2fs), P Kearney 1-0, S Downey, J Doherty, and O McWilliams 0-1 each.

St Brendan’s: D Carroll; C Gammell, D O’Brien, C O’Donoghue; N Donohue, D Naughton, M Potts; L O’Donoghue, B Courtney; P McCarthy, D Clifford, D Moynihan; E Cronin, D Shaw, M Casey.

Subs: W Courtney for Casey (43), D Spillane for McCarthy (60).

St Pat’s: S Cassidy; O McKeever, P Turner, K Feeney; P McCormick, S Downey, C McAllister; C Glass, J Doherty; P Kearney, P Quigg, O McWilliams; C Darragh, S McGuigan, F Kearney.

Sub: F Higgins for Darragh (42).

Referee: D Gough (Meath).