Roscommon SFC Final: Brigid's win replay

Roscommon SFC Final Replay

St Brigid's 1-16 Pádraig Pearses 1-12

By Kevin Egan at King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park

St. Brigid’s were the much more impressive side from open play in this afternoon’s Roscommon senior football final replay, but they still needed a stellar performance from goalkeeper Conor Carroll to overcome Pádraig Pearses at Dr. Hyde Park.

Carroll, who transferred into the club this year, made three outstanding saves at various stages and had another excellent day from the kicking tee, giving his side a solid platform from which they could play their trademark brand of open, expansive football.

They were at their best in the first half when they played into the tricky diagonal breeze and took an 0-10 to 1-5 half-time lead, with nine of their 10 points coming from within 25 metres of the Pádraig Pearses goal.

Senan Kilbride was a surprise inclusion in the panel for the drawn game six days ago and the 40-year-old veteran raised even more eyebrows when he was named in the starting team for today’s game. He chipped in with an early point as St. Brigid’s settled in well, before being rocked on their heels by a superb Seán Canning goal.

Canning, who buried his grandfather Seán and the father of team manager Frank Canning during the week, was a constant threat when he got the chance to break lines and he also earned another free that was taken quickly by Hubert Darcy to set up Eoin Colleran.

Carroll made a brilliant save to deny Colleran’s palmed effort from the edge of the small square and turn it out for a 45, which Conor Ryan duly converted.

The goalkeeper’s next big play was to deny Hubert Darcy’s attempt from 12 metres out and that proved to be a pivotal swing moment as instead of going 2-4 to 0-5 behind, St. Brigid’s kicked the next five points to take control of the game.

Bobby Nugent was in great form up front, kicking two from play and three frees, while Eddie Nolan was also vital to that dominance with some big plays at midfield.

Pearses were thrown a lifeline when Conor Hand was shown a black card in the 36^th minute but they struggled to take advantage and only had one Hubert Darcy point on the board by the time Hand came back on the field. Declan Kenny and Conor Ryan worked hard in the middle, but they lacked mobility and incisiveness close to goal, and instead started to lean heavily on kicks from distance.

Ryan scored with two frees from outside the arc and two more long balls turned into goal chances, but Colleran also failed to beat Carroll while a brave block from Ruairí Smith repelled Hubert Darcy’s close-range attempt.

The 2024 champions were effectively done for when Paul Whelan parried Bobby Nugent’s shot and Brian Derwin scrambled the ball to the Pearses net with seven minutes of normal time remaining, setting St. Brigid’s on course for a Connacht championship where the 2023 AIB All-Ireland club finalists will be considered among the leading contenders for yet more silverware.

Scorers for St. Brigid’s: Ben O’Carroll 0-5 (3fs), Bobby Nugent 0-5 (3fs), Brian Derwin 1-1, Conor Hand 0-2, Senan Kilbride 0-1, Ciarán Sugrue 0-1, Paul McGrath 0-1.

Scorers for Pádraig Pearses: Conor Ryan 0-5 (2tpf, 1 45), Seán Canning 1-0, Paul Carey 0-2, Eoin Colleran 0-2, Jack Tumulty 0-1, Hubert Darcy 0-1, Ronan Daly 0-1.

St Brigid’s: Conor Carroll; Ruairí Smith, Seán Trundle, Robbie Dolan; Ruaidhrí Fallon, Brian Stack, Paul McGrath; Shane Cunnane, Eddie Nolan; Conor Hand, Ciarán Sugrue, Bobby Nugent; Ben O’Carroll, Senan Kilbride, Brian Derwin.

Subs: Ronan Stack for Dolan (49), Eoghan Derwin for Kilbride (51), Mark Daly for Smith (55), Charlie O’Carroll for Nugent (60).

Pádraig Pearses: Paul Whelan; Conor Lohan, Caelim Keogh, Mark Richardson; Conor Harley, David Murray, Adam McGreal; Conor Ryan, Declan Kenny; Ronan Daly, Seán Canning, Jack Tumulty; Hubert Darcy, Paul Carey, Eoin Colleran.

Subs: Jack Nevin for Harley (48).

Referee: Paddy Neilan (St. Faithleach’s)