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Strokestown take title as Brigid's rally comes too late

by Sean Guinan  Updated: Wednesday, 6th October, 2010 6:43pm

Strokestown 0-10 St Brigid's 0-8

Before a ball was kicked in last Sunday's IFC final at a sparsely attended Dr Hyde Park, Strokestown - surprisingly relegated from the SFC a year ago - had made a quick return to the Premier ranks.

St Brigid's, who took the Fahey Cup only a week previously with their Senior team, could not be promoted had they captured the Jamesie Murray Cup with their Intermediate side. As events turned out, however, the Black and Ambers survived a late rally by the Kiltoom/Cam brigade to imprimatur their promotion in style. With only two points between the protagonists both at the half-time and full-time whistles, one could have been forgiven for concluding that the 500 or so who turned up for this final were treated to a close, exciting match between these razor-keen rivals. But, alas, nothing could be further from the truth on this occasion.

By contrast to the proceeding Junior FC Final, (won by Ballinameen over a Michael Glavey's outfit who lost the 2007 Intermediate decider against St. Dominic's before being relegated to Junior status a year ago), the main course on 'the Hyde' clár was indeed a dour, drab, insipid affair. It conveyed little of the craft, class and assurance which epitomised both these teams' rite of passage to the county final. For their part, Coman Sheils' east county charges enjoyed an unbeaten run en route with some splendid displays emerging in group wins over Fuerty and Kilglass Gaels, a quarter-final victory over Tulsk Lord Edwards, and their toughest challenge when having just 2 points to spare over St. Dominic's. Having drawn with Eire "g, Brigid's made everybody sit up and take notice with a scintillating group success against a strongly fancied Boyle, before overcoming Fuerty (quarter-final) and St. Ronan's (Keadue) in the semi-final. A cursory glance at these impressive routes to the final prepared both sets of supporters for a potentially classic confrontation, but they would be doomed to disappointment, despite the perfect conditions obtaining on a gloriously sunny afternoon at headquarters. Where did it all go wrong?

One could list out a litany of reasons for this - perhaps the inevitability of the outcome (with Strokestown already promoted), desperately negative football for the greater part of the contest, inept and sloppy passing, cheaply conceded possession, poor shot selection, terrible marksmanship and a distinct lack of atmosphere, all combined to produce an eminently forgettable decider.

For Strokestown, wing-back Niall Brogan didn't play, with the subsequently effective Niall Owens called up. On the other side, full-forward Brendan O'Brien was an absentee, replaced by Kieran Kilkenny though 'Dixie' was introduced minutes before half-time to emerge top scorer for St Brigid's.

Strokestown could have goaled as early as the third minute, when a probing shot among a flurry of players was just tipped away by alert goalie James Martin for a fruitless '45'. PJ Shanagher's brigade then proceeded to impose their authority on proceedings, opening the scoring when a Mark Gavin pointed free (3rd minute) punished a foil on John Grehan. They succeeded in getting bodies behind the ball to good effort against Strokestown's dangermen up front and added another point, when impressive wing-back Darragh Sheehy provided the opening for his brother Cormac to send over a fine effort from play from all of 60 metres.

It was all of 14 minutes before Strokestown finally rose a flag when, after a foul on Pearse McGinley, John Rogers floated over the resultant free, followed immediately by a Conor Silke effort from play to equalise. Conor was again on target 4 minutes later when Patrick Brogan turned provider for the corner-forward to give his side the lead for the first time.

But, in an indicator of the poor standard on view, 12 long minutes would elapse before we had another score. One minute into injury time, it took a defender - Strokestown left half-back Rory Molloy - to show his forwards the way when securing his sides fourth point to leave Coman Sheils' men ahead 0-4 to 0-2 at the interval of an ultra-poor half-hour's football.

St Brigid's midfielder Basil Mannion was forced off injured 3 minutes before half-time and was replaced by Brendan O'Brien. At the restart of the second period, Robert Gilligan was partnered at midfield by wing-forward Cormac Sheehy, with subsequent changes bringing Brendan to full-forward.

Both teams missed scorable chances on the resumption, but Brigid's cut the margin to the minimum when Kieran Kilkenny placed Richard Blaine for a fine point three minutes in.

A double Strokestown substitution, introducing the subsequently impressive Rory O'Connor and Seamus Collins, was immediately followed by another John Rogers free. However, with Brendan O'Brien both earning and pointing a 38th minute free and the highly impressive Richard Blaine levelling the match at 0-5 each in the 43rd minute, were we in for some overdue excitement as the clock wound down?

Strokestown did their best work in the next 16 minutes, when they seized midfield control through John Hagan and Matty Colum, and with Ronan and Niall Owens, team captain Johnny Dolan and attacking wing-back Rory Molloy closing down the St. Brigid's forwards, showed something like their optimum form. Five unanswered points ensued via Conor Silke, Patrick Brogan and John Hagan and two pointed frees courtesy of John Rogers. But these scores were interrupted by what turned out to be the very short tenure of substitute Kenny Bosquette who was barely on the park when receiving a straight red card for allegedly striking a St Brigid's player.

Still, Strokestown, despite being reduced to 14 players, held an impressive 5 point lead as the 60th minute came and went.

The referee, however, allowed a generous 7 minutes of added-on time, which afforded the now numerically superior Brigid's a late opportunity of recovery. With Brendan O'Brien certainly on song in this spell - scoring 3 points, two from frees - against a rapidly tiring Strokestown. Time just ran out on the Kiltoom/Cam men and it was the Black and Ambers who took the Jamesie Murray Cup by a narrow two-point margin.

Although the final will not be remembered for the overall quality of play, St. Brigid's, despite losing, can still derive great satisfaction at their championship campaign in 2010, with their Intermediate squad aptly illustrating the club's strength in depth. On Sunday last, they had impressive performers in James Martin, Eoin Mannion, Darragh Sheehy, Peadar Kelly, Robert Gilligan, Richard Blaine, Cormac Sheehy and Brendan O'Brien.

SCORERS - Strokestown: J Rogers (0-4, 3 frees), C Silke (0-3), Rory Molloy (0-1), Patrick Brogan (0-1), John Hagan (0-1).

St. Brigid's: B O'Brien (0-4, 3 frees) R Blaine (0-2), C Sheehy (0-1), M Gavin (0-1, free).

STROKESTOWN: John McHugh, Johnny Dolan (capt), Ronan Owens, Paul McLoughlin, Niall Owens, Daniel Rogers, Rory Molloy, John Hagan, Matty Colum, John Rogers, David Parker, Pearse McGinley, Colin Compton, Patrick Brogan, Conor Silke. Subs: Rory O'Connor and Seamus Collins for Parker and McGinley (double substitution, 37); Kenny Bosquette for Compton (52).

ST. BRIGID'S: James Martin, Paddy Blaine, Eoin Mannion, Mark Grehan, Darragh Sheehy, Peadar Kelly, Robert O'Dwyer, Robert Gilligan, Basil Mannion, Gerry Dunning, Richard Blaine, Cormac Sheehy, John Grehan, Kieran Kilkenny, Mark Gavin. Subs: Brendan O'Brien for B Mannion (inj, 27); Cian McDonnell for Kilkenny (41); Cathal Lydon for Gavin (45); Paul Furey for O'Dwyer (47); John Mannion for P Blaine (62).

REFEREE: Vivian Hardiman (Western Gaels) who issuing 3 yellow cards (2 to Strokestown and 1 to St. Brigid's).