St Brigid's snatch dramatic win with injury time points

HAVING went twenty eight long minutes without a score, St Brigid's snatched a dramatic win in the Intermediate Football Championship semi-final with two points deep in injury time at a red hot Ballinagar on Saturday afternoon.

Tullamore Court Hotel Intermediate Football Championship semi-final

St Brigid's 1-9

Erin Rovers 1-8

The late scores left a gutted Erin Rovers no time to recover and they will be bitterly disappointed at not forcing extra time at least. They really should have got extra time as there was a very debatable additional six and a half minutes on the clock when Dan Molloy booted over the winning point from a free. The game had been four minutes over when county star Cian Donohue got the equaliser. While there had been stoppages and delays to justify five minutes, the minutes played after this seemed questionable and will certainly be debated in Pullough.

It was a fiercely fought contest that was not for the faint hearted. It was a real tough game of football with every score hard earned, every ball contested fully. It was completely honest but there was a lot going on, with a lot of hard hitting – not all of it legal or fair and both sides were guilty in this regard. Talented young St Brigid's forward Ben Kennedy went off after 22 minutes, apparently after receiving a kick to the jaw – an ambulance was called to the venue but fortunately the player was okay by the time it came and didn't go off in it.

A lot of the hitting was legitimate with the ball there to be won but there was also a lot of late belts, punches to the ribs that were designed to hurt. There was so much going on that it was almost impossible for Eamon O'Connor to referee but it was all highly entertaining. You couldn't take your eye off it for a second and it made for gripping viewing.

Neither side deserved to lose and extra time would have been a fair outcome but St Brigid's got home as they appeared to have a slight edge in fitness. Erin Rovers had a couple of players close to the forty mark or over, a couple who looked short of peak fitness and they wilted as the afternoon wore on in the searing heat. St Brigid's looked a bit younger, lighter and this was certainly a factor in them getting out of jail.

There was also plenty of very good football played, good passing moves and heart warming physicality – St Brigid's were a bit better at ball retention at times and this was another element in them winning.

While every player was fully committed, it ended up as a duel between Bobby Troy of St Brigid's and Nathan Poland of Erin Rovers. They were the two best players on the field with Troy getting 1-3 from play for Brigid's and Poland scoring 1-5 for Rovers, all his points from free. Poland did a mountain of work for Erin Rovers at midfield but Dan Molloy and Rob Hoey ensured the Croghan men won their share.

At times, both sides seemed to be doing their utmost to lose it. Brigid's were unable to get the ball into Troy while Poland and Erin Rovers couldn't get into shooting range for extended periods in the second half – Erin Rovers' full forward Andrew Buckley was a real menace with his ball winning ability when they did get it in there.

It was nip and tuck the whole way through. There was only a brief few minutes when more than one point separated them in the first half – that was when St Brigid's held a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after 12 minutes with the wind on their back. By half time, Erin Rovers had the edge, 0-6 to 0-5 and it was clear this was going down to the wire.

St Brigid's came flying out of the blocks with 1-2 without reply at the start of the second half. The goal was an excellent finish by Bobby Troy in the 36th minute after a sensational ball in. Amazingly, St Brigid's didn't score again until those injury time points. Erin Rovers had hit back immediately with their own quality goal – Nathan Poland did very well to race through and find the net to leave a point in it.

Rob Hoey missed a goal chance for St Brigid's, Andrew Buckley hit the post with a great chance for Erin Rovers in the 52nd minute. Erin Rovers' first point in the second half came from a Poland free in the 54th minute and sub Carmine Russo edged them ahead with two minutes of normal time left.

St Brigid's were very dominant from here to the end and eventually the pressure told. Sean Briody was wide, Dan Nolloy hit the post with a free and Cian Donoghue didn't hit the target with another one but the ball worked its way back to him and he got the equaliser – paving the way for Molloy's late winner.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Bobby Troy (St Brigid's): A choice between Bobby Troy and Nathan Poland with both having profound influences on the outcome. Troy gets the nod as he was on the winning side and his scores was instrumental in the win.

THE SCORERS

St Brigid’s: Bobby Troy 1-3 , Dan Molloy 0-3 (Frees), Cian Donohue 0-2, Willie Molloy 0-1.  

Erin Rovers: Nathan Poland 1-5 (0-5 Frees), Dylan Kavanagh, Andre Buckley, Carmine Russo 0-1 each.  

THE TEAMS

St Brigid’s: Liam Fox; Conor Casey, Shay Hannon, Tadgh Galvin; Dillon Donoghue, Sean Briody, Thomas Mooney; Rob Hoey, Dan Molloy; Liam Cocoman, Ben Kennedy, Evan Rigney; William Rigney, Bobby Troy, Cian Donohue.  Subs: Dean Kennedy for Ben Kennedy (inj. 20 mins), David Boland for Evan Rigney (inj. 27 mins), Arron Kennedy for Dean Kennedy (inj. 45 mins), Sean Óg Cocoman for Conor Casey (49 mins).  

Erin Rovers: Kevin Lynam; Ultan Carroll, Gerard Buckley, Dean Buckley; Declan Buckley, Calvin Fox Kenna, Jack Poland; Richie Fox, Nathan Poland; Stephen Buckley, Danny Scally, Dylan Kavanagh; Carmine Russo, Andrew Buckley, Barry Buckley.  Subs: Sean Tierney for Calvin Fox Kenna (47 mins), Ryan Poland for Barry Buckley (52 mins), Davyn Fox for Danny Scally (54 mins), Barry Buckley for Carmine Russo (inj. 63 mins).  

Referee: Eamonn O’Connor (Ballycommon)