CONNACHT SFC FINAL St Brigid's 2-14 Killererin 1-10( AET - 1-9 to 1-9 after normal time) THE FOOTBALLING gods are smiling on Roscommon football again. A splendid Connacht club decider laced with drama and intrigue ended in a welter of excitement as a late St Brigid's flurry sank Killererin, who had come within seconds of a famous win.
Leading by three points deep into stoppage time, Killererin were on the verge of victory as Pádraic Joyce supplied the flashes of genius to nudge them into a decent position.
St Brigid’s, though, have form when it comes to last-gasp rallies against Galway clubs as Corofin will testify and that is precisely what happened once again.
In the final attack of normal time, Frankie Dolan thumped a delivery into Killererin territory and Cathal McHugh flicked home the equalising goal.
As referee Frank Flynn blew the full time whistle, Killererin must have sensed a great opportunity to land a provincial title had been missed.
There was a certain inevitability to the extra-time fare as St Brigid’s had the momentum, the passion, and the drive to close the deal.
Senan Kilbride, who was well marshalled by one of Galway’s bright prospects, Colin Forde, wriggled away for a moment to slam home the decisive goal four minutes into the first period, and all that needed to be determined thereafter was the victory margin.
Early on, it had been so tricky and tough for the Roscommon men who were encountering Killererin’s trademark grit and resistance. Tommie Joyce, the subtle Killererin player/manager, was performing with the dash that earned him an All-Ireland senior medal for Galway while his decorated brother Pádraic kicked five points with his customary style.
Prompted by a 16th minute Ger Butler goal following an astute Pádraic Joyce flick, Killererin were seriously irking the pacy and powerful visitors. Killererin’s half-time lead was 1-3 to 0-5 and in a bruising second half they extended the advantage with Joyce a constant menace.
But Brigid’s were relentless and with Karol Mannion excelling at centrefield they concluded the hour with a flourish as McHugh’s late goal threw them a lifeline.
Mannion was encouraged by the character his team showed.
“In fairness, we got a little bit lucky there at the end of normal time. I thought for a long time that it was going to be one of those days because we had loads of wides and loads of the ball, but we got the bit of luck at the end there and we pushed on after that.
“Nicky Joyce had a chance to put Killererin four up towards the end of normal time and when he didn’t get that I felt we might get one last attack and we got lucky then.
“We were making plenty of chances throughout the game and I missed three myself and we missed a few more as well as those too.
“If they had went over we would have been four or five points up at half-time and it would have been a different game, but we have always had a bit of a never-say-die attitude.
“Against Corofin we got back to get a win in the last minute and we have always had that attitude. Some days it works – against Ballina in 2007 it didn’t, we had a goal chance at the end that didn’t go in. Today it went in and, thankfully, we kicked on and won it.
“When you are so far behind late on against a team of the quality of Killererin, who we knew had improved so much since 2007, we knew we weren’t going to be too far ahead of them. We got that bit of luck to get us over the line.
The Connacht standard bearers will head for the All-Ireland series heartened.
ST BRIGID'S: P Martin; R Kelly, D Donnelly (0-1), N Grehan; G Cunniffe (0-1), P Domican, I Kilbride; G Dolan (0-1), K Mannion (0-1); Cathal McHugh (1-1), F Dolan (0-3), D Dolan (0-1); Conor McHugh (0-1), S Kilbride (1-1), D O'Connor (0-1). Subs: D Kelliher (0-1)for Conor McHugh (31 mins), E Sheehy (0-1)for O'Connor (50 mins), D Nestor for Cunniffe (74 mins), R Blaine for D Dolan (76 mins), G Ahern for F Dolan (76 mins).
KILLERERIN: A Keane (0-1, 45);D Flaherty, C Forde, D Kelly; I Reddington, D Mannion (0-1), T Fahy; T Joyce, T Hughes; T Flynn, N Joyce (0-2, two frees), J Keane; M Boyle (0-1), P Joyce (0-5, one free), G Butler (1-0). Subs: T Wilson for Butler (46 mins), J Hughes for Wilson (71 mins).
Referee: F Flynn(Leitrim).
