Roscommon SFC: Pearses and St Brigid's to meet again
St Brigid's forward Ben O'Carroll. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
By Kevin Egan
South Roscommon rivals Pádraig Pearses and St. Brigid’s, who between them have equally shared six out of the last seven senior titles in the county, will meet again on Sunday October 18 in King & Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park in this year’s decider.
Pearses met Boyle on Saturday afternoon and from the start it was a sensational battle between two high-powered sides, with early two-pointers for Paul Carey and Donie Smith at either end setting the tone.
David Murray positioned himself perfectly to get a touch on a high ball for the only goal of the half as Pearses led by 1-11 to 0-12 at the turnaround, although Boyle had seven different scorers from play with Enda and Donie Smith, as well as Daire Cregg, raising a couple of flags each.
Keelan Kelly pounced on a defensive error to stretch Pearses’ lead at the start of the second half, but Boyle responded immediately when Oisín Cregg crashed the ball to the roof of the net after a subtle show-and-go opened up a clear path to goal.
Pearses continued to lead for most of the game by playing good controlled football, but a couple of points from Enda Smith dragged Boyle back into it and they looked like they had snatched a win when Donie Smith landed a two-point free in the third minute of stoppage time.
Boyle won the subsequent kickout, but Pearses forced a turnover and set up Declan Kenny, who landed a pressure kick from 50 metres out to force extra time at 2-18 to 1-21.
A minute into extra-time Jack Tumulty hit another goal for Pearses, and with Boyle trying to force an attack with the last possession of the first half, they were turned over at midfield and dealt the hammer blow of a fourth goal, this time from Adam McGreal.
McGreal hit goal number five, Cathal McKeon gave Boyle some faint hope but a Paul Whelan save to deny Daire Cregg ensured a 5-22 to 2-27 win at the end of 80 breathless, tumultuous minutes of action.
A final score of 3-22 to 2-8 would suggest that St. Brigid’s had things all their own way against Strokestown this afternoon, but it was anything but, as Strokestown were right in the game, level approaching the 10 minute mark of the second half.
Bobby Nugent hit 0-3 for St. Brigid’s in the first half, but team captain Colin Compton and young county star Colm Neary were sensational for Strokestown, who got the better of the kickout battle.
Rangy young attacker Seán McDonnell got a touch on a blocked Keith Murphy shot for Strokestown’s first goal and Shane McGinley then earned and finished a penalty to make it 2-3 to 0-5, but St. Brigid’s rallied with 0-5 unanswered to lead by one at the break.
Paul McGrath, Shane Cunnane and Eddie Nolan all featured for the Connacht champions after missing most or all of the season so far with injury, but when Neary split the posts for a two early in the second half, they trailed by two and needed everyone to step up.
They did so, in spectacular fashion. Conor Hand began to run riot from centre forward and landed a series of points, an unfortunate own goal sucked the life out of Strokestown and there were further majors from brothers Ben and Charlie O’Carroll, the latter scoring 1-3 in his late run off the bench to give Damien Mulligan another selection headache in advance of what should be another heavyweight final in a fortnight.
