Roscommon SFC Final: Replay required following dramatic draw

Roscommon SFC Final

Pádraig Pearses 1-15 St Brigid's 1-15

By Kevin Egan at King & Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park

A Roscommon senior final that promised immense quality, with two recent AIB Connacht club champions going head-to-head, over-delivered as Pádraig Pearses and St. Brigid’s delivered an enthralling battle that was laden with intensity, class and drama.

In the end, Brian Stack’s equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time ensured that the two teams will have to go back to Roscommon next Saturday afternoon to determine where the Fahey Cup will spend the winter and no-one could argue with the fairness of that result, even if Pearses will feel that they missed a couple of gilt-edged chances to retain their championship in the closing minutes.

One point in front and with two minutes of injury time already played, David Murray and Hubert Darcy turned down a handy point and instead tried to engineer a goal, only for Darcy’s shot to be deflected with of the near post. Conor Ryan, who had been on target with two incredible two-point shots already, was a yard off with the subsequent 45, and that led to one of the most composed and clinical sequences of play imaginable in the most high-pressure circumstances, with a county title on the line playing into a stiff wind.

Senan Kilbride, on for the first time in this championship, won a ball and linked up with Ben O’Carroll, who recycled to Shane Cunnane. Cunnane’s eye of a needle pass through a packed defence picked out Brian Stack, who got out in front, beat his man and split the posts.

Pearses had another chance through a long-range Paul Carey free, but Carey too was off-target with his attempt.

St. Brigid’s will have their regrets too, mainly their inability to build on a sensational start. Eddie Nolan and Ruaidhrí Fallon hoisted over two-pointers to exploit the wind and with Brian and Eoghan Derwin also on the mark with neat kicks, they went 0-8 to 0-1 in front with time remaining in the first quarter. Conor Carroll’s inch-perfect kickouts gave them an ideal platform, Stack and Fallon controlled the half-back line and their movement up front opened up some great chances.

The influence of Hubert Darcy and Ronan Daly across the middle was crucial as Pearses settled into the game, with Conor Ryan’s free off the deck really giving them hope going into the second half, just 0-12 to 0-6 behind with the gale to come.

A black card for Paul McGrath for an incident after the half-time whistle was a further boost and they capitalised initially, raising two orange flags from Declan Kenny and Conor Ryan as they reduced the gap to a single point.

The battle between Mark Richardson and Ben O’Carroll had been pivotal and while Richardson continued his stellar season with another strong display, O’Carroll was too good to be denied completely. On a swift transition play his quick hands put Robbie Dolan through and an emphatic finish from the roving defender undid a lot of the damage, restoring a four-point gap.

With just over ten minutes to play, that was still the margin, but then Pearses found another wave of form. Seán Canning and Jack Tumulty opened up the Brigid’s defence to set up Adam McGreal for a goal, Ronan Daly split the uprights from all of 55 metres out to put the men in red in front, and in most games, that would have been enough.

This wasn’t most games as St. Brigid’s found a way, and with it, set up another mouthwatering encounter next Saturday.

Scorers for Pádraig Pearses: Conor Ryan 0-4 (1tp, 1tpf), Declan Kenny 0-3 (1tp), Adam McGreal 1-0, Eoin Colleran 0-2, Ronan Daly 0-2 (1tp), Caelim Keogh 0-1, Seán Canning 0-1, Jack Tumulty 0-1, Paul Carey 0-1f.

Scorers for St. Brigid’s: Ben O’Carroll 0-4f, Robbie Dolan 1-0, Bobby Nugent 0-2, Brian Derwin 0-2, Ruaidhrí Fallon 0-2 (tp), Eddie Nolan 0-2 (tp), Eoghan Derwin 0-1, Shane Cunnane 0-1, Brian Stack 0-1.

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

Subs: Conor Harley for Lorcán Daly (28), Niall Daly for Richardson (39-44, temp), Niall Daly for McGreal (58), Jack Nevin for Tumulty (60).

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

Subs: Mark Daly for Nolan (52), Niall McInerney for E Derwin (58), Senan Kilbride for Nugent (60), Charlie O’Carroll for B Derwin (60)

Referee: Jimmy Donoghue (Tulsk Lord Edwards).