St Brigid's march on despite late Faithleach's rally

The Ballyleague venue, complete with its spanking new press facilities, was en-fete last Sunday as the home club hosted their 1965 team who captured the club's sole SFC title to date. However, reigning Roscommon champions St Brigid's spoiled the St Faithleach's party on the day. A sizeable attendance saw Tulsk Lord Edwards and Kilglass Gaels share the honours in the opening IFC clash on the programme, but the main feature on the clár - the SFC meeting of St Brigid's and their St Faithleach's hosts - failed to arouse the adrenaline of the assembled gathering. From an early stage, the holders gradually but steadily stamped their authority on proceedings. Playing with the wind, their half time lead of 0-8 to 0-3 didn't appear to be of gargantuan proportions. But Senan Kilbride's goal, flicked to the Faithleach's net four minutes into the second half, proved the overture for a flurry of points, which left the Kiltoom-Cam side ahead by 1-12 to 0-5 with nine minutes of normal time remaining. Suddenly, a hitherto lethargic and somewhat ponderous Faithleach's found their rhythm. Inspired by a well taken goal by their top marksman Ciaran Murtagh, though admittedly his shot took a slight deflection off a Brigid's defender, Mickey Harkins' charges laid siege to the visitors' citadel, forcing the concession of frees. A brilliant save from goalie Derek Thompson, after a quick breakaway by Brigid's, gave the home team further impetus and, with the match gone into injury time, the deficit was reduced to three points. Faithleach's had the ball in the Brigid's net again, but the referee's whistle had gone for a free in. From the kickout, Brigid's sub Richard Blaine drew a foul and the free was pointed by Karol Mannion. Although the referee allowed another minute of injury time, in which spell defender Ray Cox landed another Faithleach's point (66th minute), time ran out. And so, the south county stalwarts took the two points on offer which guaranteed them a place in the knockout stages once again, and a tilt at further accolades later. While that late, late Faithleach's show will undoubtedly be worrying to the squad now managed by Kevin McStay, Liam McHale and Brendan 'Dixie O'Brien', they will be reassured by a display which, though admittedly of low-key proportions, still saw them holding the whip hand for 51 minutes of this round two tie. A league defeat to this opposition was a cause of some concern in the build-up to Sunday's tie after the 11-week break from round one of the championship. But from Karol Mannion's second minute point, when placed by Ian Kilbride, St. Brigid's never went behind on an afternoon which was punctuated, especially in the second half, by spells of (by now) typically thundery showers. Excitement was in short supply in the idyllic surroundings of this Shannonside venue. But with Damien Kelleher in splendid form up front, when sending over three terrific points from play and with Senan Kilbride and Conor McHugh also on form from placed balls, there seemed little possibility of an upset in the formbook here. When looking back over the game as to what went wrong, the Longford border side will rue the ineffectiveness of their attack in the opening half. Okay, they were against the wind, but the statistics coldly show that not one of their starting forward formation rose a flag in this spell. They fared reasonably well in defence where goalie Derek Thompson, Ray Cox, Clement McCormack and Alan McCormack caught the eye, while Martin Reynolds impressed in the midfield third. But up front, they relied almost completely on the accuracy (from frees) of Ciaran Murtagh, who also drove home their goal. The winners welcomed back Frankie Dolan in the second half and, typically, he had a hand in setting up that 34th-minute Senan Kilbride goal. Peter Domican was in fine form in a rearguard where Niall Grehan and Ronan Stack also impressed with Ian Kilbride in optimum form at midfield. Karol Mannion, who started at full-forward and moved to midfield (second half) showed his vast experience, while Eoin Sheehy also worked assiduously as a linkman between defence and attack. In summary, not vintage Brigid's, but still very much the leaders of the pack. Scorers - St Brigid's: S Kilbride 1-3 (0-3f); D Kelleher 0-3; K Mannion 0-4, 0-3f); C McHugh 0-2 (1f); I Kilbride 0-1. St Faithleach's: C Murtagh 1-4 (0-4f); M Reynolds 0-3 (0-1 '45', 1f), R Cox, B Reynolds and S O'Grady (f) 0-1 each. St Brigid's: James Martin, Robbie Kelly, Niall Grehan, Peter Domican, Gearoid Cunniffe, Darragh Donnelly, Ronan Stack, Garvan Dolan, Ian Kilbride, Padraig Kelly, Damien Kelleher, Eoin Sheehy, Senan Kilbride, Karol Mannion, Conor McHugh. Subs: Frankie Dolan for P. Kelly and Cormac Sheehy for G Dolan (both H/T), Darragh Sheehy for Kelleher (54), Alan McInerney for E Sheehy (60), Richard Blaine for R. Kelly (61). St Faithleach's: Derek Thompson, Ray Cox, Ciaran Brennan, Alan McCormack, Henry Kenny, Clement McCormack, David Harrison, Derek Murray, Senan O'Grady, David Rooney, Martin Reynolds, Ciaran Murtagh, Aidan Dooney, Enda Kenny, Brian Murtagh. Subs: Brendan Reynolds (0-1 free) for Dooney (48), Diarmuid Murtagh for Alan McCormack (54). Referee: Vivian Hardiman (Western Gaels).