Brilliant Brigid's crowned Connacht champions
AIB Connacht Club SFC final: St Brigid's 1-13 Corofin 2-5
An impressive start laid the platform for St Brigid's to defeat Corofin in the Connacht club senior football final at Dr Hyde Park yesterday (Sunday).
Brigid's surged into an early 1-2 to 0-0 lead, with all the scores coming from the outstanding Ben O'Carroll. The goal came from a penalty after Alan Daly was fouled by Corofin goalkeeper Bernard Power.
In total, O'Carroll scored 1-7 (including three points from play) and was a fully deserving choice for the official TG4 man of the match award.
Boosted by a home venue for the third game in a row, St Brigid's took full advantage of their familiar surroundings and, after their unconvincing win over Leitrim champions Mohill in the semi-final, the Roscommon champions peaked when required on Sunday.
Even though Corofin gave themselves a lifeline with a goal from Liam Silke just before half-time, St Brigid's still led by 1-6 to 1-2 at the break.
A second Corofin goal, scored by Dylan McHugh, was not enough to turn the game around, with the Galway champions guilty of wasting some good chances from frees and open play.
They also found it difficult to penetrate a packed Brigid's defence, with the men in green and red executing several turnovers throughout. Roscommon star Brian Stack, Pearse Frost and Ruaidhrí Fallon were among the Brigid's defenders to excel on the day.
Afterwards, St Brigid's joint captains Paul McGrath and Mark Daly lifted the Shane McGettigan Cup. The victory saw St Brigid's win their fifth Connacht club crown, adding to their previous titles in 2006, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Now, ten years after they won the All-Ireland senior title, the Kiltoom men are just one win away from contesting another national decider.
St Brigid's will face the Munster champions in early January in their All-Ireland semi-final and, based on this display, they will go into that assignment as favourites.
The Munster final will be contested between Cork champions Castlehaven and Dingle of Kerry at the TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick next Sunday (2pm).
St Brigid's are one of six teams still in the running for the All-Ireland title, the others being Leinster champions Kilmacud Crokes, Ulster finalists Glen (Derry) and Scotstown (Monaghan), and the aforementioned Munster finalists.
Scorers - St Brigid’s: B O’Carroll 1-7 (1-0pen, 0-4f); B Nugent 0-3 (3f); B Stack, R Fallon, C Sugrue 0-1 each. Corofin: L Silke, D McHugh 1-0 each; J McCabe, Gary Sice (1f) 0-2 each; D Silke 0-1 (45).
St Brigid’s: Cormac Sheehy; Robbie Dolan, Brian Stack, Pearse Frost; Ronan Stack, Alan Daly, Ruaidhrí Fallon; Eddie Nolan, Shane Cunnane; Bobby Nugent, Paul McGrath, Conor Hand; Ben O'Carroll, Brian Derwin, Ciarán Sugrue. Subs: John Cunningham for Hand (51 mins), Conor Gleeson for Derwin (57), Seán Trundle for McGrath (61).
Corofin: Bernard Power; Ross Mahon, Conor Cunningham, Liam Silke; Brian Cogger, Dylan McHugh, Gavin Burke; Patrick Egan, Ciarán Brady; Dylan Wall, Darragh Silke, Michael Farragher; Jack McCabe, Gary Sice, Micheál Lundy. Subs: Kieran Molloy for Wall (half-time), Conor Newell for D Silke (43 mins), Daithí Burke for Farragher (48), Glen McHugh for Burke (53), Tony Gill for Egan (58).
Referee: Barry Judge (Sligo).