Gaelic Games

Champions St Brigid’s brush aside outclassed Leitrim kingpins St Mary’s

But one-sided contest not ideal preparation for a Connacht final against Castelbar

Mon Nov 11 2013 - 01:00

St Brigid’s 5-15 St Mary’s 1-5 Although St Brigid’s manager Benny O’Brien expressed surprise at how easily his side defeated the Leitrim champions St Mary’s, he will know this game was hardly the best preparation for a Connacht final.

St Mary's flame briefly flickered for a couple of minutes at the start of this non-contest when their best player Ray Mulvey scored a sweet point from distance. But from then, on with the exception of a brief revival in the second half, it was so easy for St Brigid's .

Three of their best players, Karol Mannion, Senan Kilbride and Frankie Dolan scored three points in a quick response to Mulvey's first-minute point and all three were involved in their side's first goal which came in the eighth minute following a pass by Mannion to Kilbride who found Dolan in space to finish to the net.

In control The half ended with the All-Ireland champions fully in control and hardly flattered by their 1-11 to 0-1 interval lead.

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St Mary's had a more determined look about them early in the second period with two points from play by Alan Doherty and Ray Mulvey.

However they were quickly brought back to earth when Adrian Gleeson set up man of the match Pádraig Kelly to score St Brigid's second goal in the 39th minute. Worse followed one minute later for Mary's when Robbie Lowe was penalised for a foul on Garvan Dolan in the square – the resultant penalty efficiently dispatched by Karol Mannion.

A fourth Brigid’s goal came in the 48th minute through substitute Ritchie Blaine and though Mulvey pulled a goal back for St Mary’s, David O’Connor got the last one for Brigid’s. ST BRIGID’S: S Curran, R Stack, D Donnelly, J Murray, N McInerney(0-1), G Cunniffe, N Grehan, K Mannion(1-1), G Ahern, A McInerney, G Dolan, P Kelly(1-1), F Dolan(1-3), S Kilbride(0-4 2f), A Gleeson. Subs: D Dolan (0-3) for G Dolan). R Blaine (1-2) for A McInerney. R Kelly for G Cunniffe. I Kilbride for G Ahern. D O’Connor (1-0) for F Dolan. ST MARY’S: B Flynn, J Cassidy, J Glancy, R Kennedy, J deLacy, C Farrell, N McWeeney (0-1), N Commerton, D Lowe, C Cunniffe, B O’Donnell, R Mulvey(1-3), A Doherty(0-1), R Lowe, M McWeeney. Subs: Conor McWeeney for J deLacy. D Turley for B O’Donnell. Colin McWeeney for A Doherty. D Crowe for C Farrell. Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)