St Brigid's edged out by champions in opener

Noel O'Brien's first championship match in charge of St. Brigid's ended in disappointment at O'Rourke Park last Sunday evening as county champions Castlerea, St. Kevin's overcame the Kiltoom side by a two-point margin. In a bruising encounter often spoiled by the strong, swirling breeze it took a fortuitous Ger Heneghan goal with ten minutes to go to decide the match. Before then, it looked as though Brigid's had the measure of the champions and would go on to register their first championship win of 2010. But, having scored the all-important goal, Castlerea were able to hold off and confirm their place in the quarter-finals for another year where they will play the second placed team from Group C - a group that features Clann na nGael, St. Aidan's and Kilmore. For St. Brigid's, they now face into a must-win clash with neighbours Padraig Pearses to see who emerges from Group A. Scoring difference in the group means that a draw in that game will be enough for Padraig Pearses to advance. The opening ten minutes of Sunday's game belonged to the home side who took the lead after just four minutes when Ger Heneghan floated over his first free of the day after Ronan Curran had been fouled. Curran then opened his account for the day when he received a pass from David Scahill. On eight minutes Heneghan stretched the Castlerea lead to three after Curran had, once again, been fouled. And three became four on ten minutes with John Duggan made use of the strong breeze to curl the ball over the bar from long range. With Brigid's yet to make any inroads on the Castlerea goal, they were given a golden opportunity to do so on 13 minutes. A pass from Darren Dolan to his brother Frankie saw the centre-forward run at goal before being dragged down inside the penalty area. Referee Marty Parker showed no hesitation in awarding the penalty but, unfortunately for Brigid's, Karol Mannion's spotkick rebounded off the post and away from danger. Brigid's did manage to register their first of the day a minute later when, after some nice play by Conor McHugh and Frankie Dolan, Cathal McHugh popped the ball over from close range. And McHugh would get another just a minute later, this time capitalising on a breaking ball off David O'Connor. But with 15 minutes still to play in the first half, that was to be the end of the scoring until the second period with both sides registering a number of wides before the interval. In contrast to the first half, it was now St. Brigid's who began the better after the break and soon had the difference down to one when Frankie Dolan pointed a free after a Conor McHugh had gathered in a long, high ball before drawing a free. The high ball in to the full-forward line was to be a strong characteristic of Brigid's play in the second half. The Kiltoom side very nearly took the lead on 37 minutes when one of those long balls in was gathered in skilfully by Conor McHugh, who turned and shot for goal only to see Geoffrey Claffey pull off a fantastic close-range save with his left foot. Eoin Sheehy did, however, float over the resultant forty-five to draw the teams level for the first time since the throw in. And by the 40th minute, St. Brigid's had taken the lead for the first time when Conor McHugh, playing extremely well since the restart, won the ball ahead of his man before turning and firing over. Castlerea had now failed to score since the tenth minute of the game - a 30-minute barren spell. But on 44 minutes they finally registered their fifth score of the day when a lovely dummy and side-step from Ronan Curran allowed him to set up Darren McDermott for a fine score - McDermott's final contribution before being substituted for Seamus Stenson. Brigid's retook the lead a minute later when another long ball in was tapped down perfectly by Cathal McHugh into the path of the on-rushing Eoin Sheehy, who had all the time in the world to tap the ball over from 14 yards. Ger Heneghan equalised for Castlerea with another free on 48 minutes. But the game's defining moment arrived a minute later. When David O'Connor tapped over a routine free to give Brigid's the lead once more, it looked as though Noel O'Brien's men were about to kick on for the victory their second-half performance seemed to warrant. Castlerea looked to have run of ideas but from the very next kick-out Michael Killilea won possession with a fine catch before transferring the ball to Ger Heneghan. Heneghan then ran directly at the Brigid's defence, side stepped a challenge or two before shooting for a point. There looked to be no danger as Heneghan's shot dropped short but 'keeper Philly Martin seemed to misjudge the flight of the ball and it ended up in the corner of the net. From then on Castlerea, buoyed by that stroke of luck, never looked like losing. Enda Kenny, back from injury, squandered another goal chance on 54 minutes - Martin redeeming himself in this instance with a fine block - but Ronan Curran tapped over the insurance score with a minute to go to leave Brigid's requiring a goal to salvage a draw. With injury-time almost up, Brigid's launched one last attack. Eoin Sheehy flighted a high ball into the penalty area where Karol Mannion rose above everyone and fisted the ball goalward. But Mannion was once again unlucky not to raise the green flag as the ball hopped up off the ground and over the bar and with that went Brigid's last chance. SCORERS - Castlerea, St. Kevin's: Gerard Heneghan (1-3, 0-3f), Ronan Curran (0-2), John Duggan (0-1), Darren McDermott (0-1). St. Brigid's: Cathal McHugh (0-2), Eoin Sheehy (0-2, 1 '45'), Karol Mannion (0-1), Frankie Dolan (0-1f), Conor McHugh (0-1), David O'Connor (0-1f). Castlerea,: St. Kevin's: Geoffrey Claffey, Eddie Creaton, Padraic Duignan, Noel Curran, Dermot Lyons, Cathal Dineen, Gareth McElhone, Michael Killilea, Enda Kenny, John Duggan, Gerard Heneghan, Seamus Heneghan, Ronan Curran, David Scahill. SUBS: Sean Ryan for J. Duggan (40'), Seamus Stenson for D. McDermott (44'), Michael Sweeney for G. McElhone (46'). St. Brigid's: Philip Martin, Robbie Kelly, Ger Aherne, Peter Domican, Niall Grehan, Ian Kilbride, Gearoid Cunniffe, Garvan Dolan, Karol Mannion, Darren Dolan, Frankie Dolan, Eoin Sheehy, Conor McHugh, David O'Connor, Cathal McHugh. SUBS: Damien Kellegher for D. O'Connor (54'), Leon O'Connor for D. Dolan (54'). Referee: Marty Parker.