Published: Wednesday, 4th August, 2010 5:00pm

Brigid's and Pearses face winner-takes-all clash

IT'S win or bust for both South Roscommon sides St Brigid's and Padraig Pearses when they meet in this weekend's decisive and final Group A game in the 2010 Roscommon SFC (Saturday, Kiltoom, 7pm).

Both teams have so far lost to defending champions Castlerea St Kevin's in the three-team group, and need a win to qualify for the quarter-final stage.

Padraig Pearses did the better of the two sides against a highly-fancied Castlerea, losing by just a single point in a tight group opener back in early June.

St Brigid's, meanwhile, were beaten by two points by Castlerea, but despite also missing a penalty on the day, never really looked like beating the Fahy Cup holders in early July.

That match in early July also marked Noel O'Brien's first game in charge of St Brigid's, and the green and red side's manager knows there's plenty at stake this weekend.

"It's a winner-takes-all situation, like the old championship system. If you lose, you're out, it's as simple as that," said O'Brien, who has serious injury problems going into the game.

Mark O'Carroll picked up a well-documented knee injury during Roscommon's opening round fixture against London in this year's Connacht SFC, and is ruled out for a lengthy period, while much the same applies to Garvan Dolan, who recently sustained a medial knee ligament injury.

Ger Aherne is suspended for this game, while Davie O'Connor and David Nestor also look likely to miss out through injury.

"It's very hard to replace those kind of players, but you have to get on with what you have," said O'Brien.

"We're struggled to get a settled group of players together so far this year. Injuries haven't helped and then we had a few lads off with the Roscommon team, so it's not been ideal. But we need to show a ferocious hunger and will-to-win this weekend. Pearses are a very good side and always have talented players. I'd say it will be very tight and there could be just a point or two between the teams," O'Brien added.

St Brigid's and Pearses are playing for the right to join table-toppers Castlerea in the latter stages, with Castlerea already assured of a quarter-final berth thanks to their record of four points from two games.

Elsewhere this weekend, Clann na nGael will be hoping to follow-up their opening day win (against St Aidan's) under recently appointed manager Dessie Dolan, by seeing off the challenge of Kilmore (Sunday, Kilmore, 6.30pm).

On paper, Clann look good for a place in the quarter-finals, and a win over pointless Kilmore will ensure such a route through to the latter stages.

Clann, of course, will be hoping county star Donie Shine can shake off the injury he carried into last weekend's All-Ireland quarter-final against Cork, to again take centre stage in the Clann attack. If Shine is proved fit, it's highly unlikely that Kilmore will have enough in the tank to suppress Clann, and pull themselves back into contention for a place in the knockout phase.

Kilmore lost their opening group game to St Aidan's, by two points, and would seem unlikely to drag themselves back into contention at Clann's expense.

Groups B and D also reach their conclusion this weekend, with St Faithleach's needing a win against St Croan's at Ballyleague on Sunday (2pm) in Group B. In the other group, Western Gaels need a victory over Roscommon Gaels to stand any chance of qualifying at their opponents' expense (Saturday, Frenchpark, 7pm).