Hodson Bay Hotel Group Roscommon SFC final
St Brigid’s 1-25 Pádraig Pearses 2-16
(After extra time)
Seamus Duke at King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park
The record books will show that last Sunday St Brigid’s became the first team to retain the Roscommon SFC title since 2017, when they did so themselves. But behind that statistic was a county senior final that was one of the best we have ever seen in terms of excitement, entertainment, drama and tension.
Once again, these fierce rivals produced a stunning contest. It was not until extra-time that St Brigid’s finally shook off the challenge of Pearses to claim their 20th title and their fourth this decade.
On a perfect day, weather-wise, it was Pearses who made the better start. Eoin Colleran rattled over two mighty two-pointers in the fourth and 15th minutes to help them into a 0-6 to 0-2 lead, with St Brigid’s early scores coming from Brian Derwin and Ruaidhrí Fallon.
But the defending champions were warming to the task, with Shane Cunnane and Mark Daly getting their hands on the ball at midfield. Ben O’Carroll then scored three points without reply, one from a free, before the superb Conor Hand arrowed over a two-pointer to put St Brigid’s ahead and firmly back in the contest.
Two minutes before the break, Cunnane split the posts with another two-pointer for St Brigid’s, making it seven unanswered points for the champions.
Just before half-time, Paul Carey lofted over a magnificent two-point free for Pearses. At the break, St Brigid’s led by a point, 0-9 to 0-8.
Second half
Pearses began the second half on top and rattled over three points in quick succession through Lorcan Daly, Eoin Colleran and a Paul Carey free. Indeed, Pearses could have moved further ahead but were hesitant in possession and dropped a couple of efforts short.
St Brigid’s capitalised on that hesitancy in the 37th minute when Bobby Nugent sent over another two-pointer to level the sides at 0-11 apiece.
It was end-to-end stuff now, and the quality of play from both sides was superb. Declan Kenny and a Carey free edged Pearses ahead, but St Brigid’s replied with points from Hand and substitute Eddie Nolan, who was making a positive impact. Another St Brigid’s substitute, Charlie O’Carroll, scored two points without reply to put his side two ahead in the 52nd minute.
The drama was only beginning. In the 55th minute, the ball bobbled about in front of the St Brigid’s goal before Davy Murray bundled it over the line for the opening goal of the game, putting Pearses back in contention.
St Brigid’s produced a late scoring burst that looked as though it might get them over the line. Ben O’Carroll pointed from close range and, in the opening minute of injury-time, with four minutes signalled, the brilliant Conor Hand powered over a magnificent two-pointer to put his side two ahead.
Pearses swept downfield in search of an equaliser. They appeared to be out of luck when substitute Hubert Darcy was wide from 40 metres. But just as the clock ticked past the four minutes, another substitute, Tom Butler, produced one of the greatest scores seen in Hyde Park when he pulled the trigger from 55 metres and sent the ball sailing over the crossbar. What a score! The sides were level once again, and extra-time beckoned.
Extra-time
Butler’s score might have suggested that Pearses would carry the momentum into extra-time, but St Brigid’s took the initiative and made their decisive dash for the line.
In the fifth minute, Declan Kenny lost possession to Ben O’Carroll 25 metres from goal. Ben found his brother Charlie, and Conor Hand came steaming in from midfield. He took the pass and blasted the ball past Paul Whelan.
Senan Kilbride, who had come on as a substitute, and Pearse Frost followed up with points. Suddenly, there were five points between the teams at the change of ends, with St Brigid’s leading 1-20 to 1-15.
When Charlie O’Carroll lofted over another superb two-pointer on the restart, St Brigid’s were pulling away. Shane Cunnane then landed his second two-pointer of the day in the 76th minute.
With two minutes remaining, Pearses were awarded a penalty, a decision that looked dubious, and Declan Kenny converted for their second goal. However, this time there was to be no comeback. St Brigid’s were crowned back-to-back champions. It was fitting that the final score came from Brian Stack, who capped another brilliant individual display with a fine point.
Pearses will have a few regrets as they reflect on this epic encounter. At the start of the second half, they had control of possession, but that dominance did not translate into scores, allowing St Brigid’s to work their way back into the game.
Pearses never flinched during the opening 60 minutes and simply refused to lie down. Butler’s equalising two-pointer in the fourth minute of injury-time was as fine a score as we have seen in any game in recent memory.
St Brigid’s stuck to their guns throughout. Conor Hand was sensational. When his team were struggling, he was always available to take the ball and drive at the Pearses defence with his searing runs. Ben O’Carroll was excellent, too. What is so admirable about Ben is that he never hides; he is always available as an outlet for those further out the field.
Brian Stack is also back to his very best. When St Brigid’s needed him, he delivered in typical fashion. What a player and leader he is. Pearse Frost and Shane Cunnane also deserve mention for their excellent performances, as does the returning Eddie Nolan, who produced a huge display after coming on just after half-time.
For Pearses, Declan Kenny had a marvellous match. He may have made the mistake that led to the St Brigid’s goal, but apart from that he was superb. Caelim Keogh was also excellent before having to go off injured. Eoin Colleran started brilliantly before fading, while Lorcan Daly was sharp throughout. In the final analysis, however, St Brigid’s had the edge when it mattered in extra-time.
St Brigid’s will now turn their attention to the Connacht Club Championship and a meeting with Sligo champions St Mary’s in November.
For the rest of us, it was another fantastic game of football to enjoy. It was a privilege to be there.
Teams & scorers
St Brigid’s: Conor Carroll; Robbie Dolan, Pearse Frost (0-1), Michael Sugrue; Ruaidhrí Fallon (0-1), Brian Stack (0-1), Paul McGrath; Mark Daly, Shane Cunnane (0-4, 1 x 2p, 1 x 2pf); Brian O’Hara-Duggan, Conor Hand (1-5, 2 x 2p), Bobby Nugent (0-2, 1 x 2p); Ben O’Carroll (0-4, 1 free), Ciarán Sugrue, Brian Derwin (0-1). Subs: Eddie Nolan (0-1) for O’Hara-Duggan (34), Ronan Stack for McGrath (42), Charlie O’Carroll (0-4, 1 x 2p) for Derwin (45), Senan Kilbride (0-1) for Daly (60), Brian O’Hara-Duggan for Ciarán Sugrue (extra-time), Ciarán Sugrue for Nugent (66), Ruairí Smith for Michael Sugrue (71), Paul McGrath for Hand (79).
Pádraig Pearses: Paul Whelan; Mark Richardson, Caelim Keogh, Jack Downey; Jack Nevin, Ronan Daly, David Murray (1-0); Conor Harley, Declan Kenny (1-1, 1-0 pen); Keelan Kelly, Lorcan Daly (0-2), Adam McGreal; Eoin Colleran (0-5, 2 x 2p), Jack Tumulty (0-1), Paul Carey (0-4, 1 x 2pf, 2 frees). Subs: Conor Lohan for Nevin (22), Hubert Darcy (0-1) for McGreal (55), John Price for Daly (55), Tom Butler (0-2, 1 x 2p) for Kelly (58), Niall Daly for Harley (60), Keelan Kelly for Richardson (extra-time, 66), Jack Nevin for Keogh (66), Lorcan Daly for Carey (78).
Referee: Dermot Lyons.
Stat Attack
Red cards: 0
Black cards: 0
Yellow cards: St Brigid’s 0; Pádraig Pearses 1 (Lorcan Daly)
Wides: St Brigid’s 9 (4, first half; 3 in et); Pádraig Pearses 8 (3, first half; 1 in et)
Two-pointers: St Brigid’s 6 (Shane Cunnane x 2, Conor Hand x 2, Bobby Nugent, Charlie O’Carroll); Pádraig Pearses 4 (Eoin Colleran x 2, Paul Carey, Tom Butler)
Attendance: Approx. 3,000
Man of the Match: Conor Hand (St Brigid’s)
A golden era: Two clubs fuelled by rivalry, driven by respect
Kevin Egan
Even the bicycle, a beloved, humble, healthy and sustainable mode of transport, needs a little bit of fossil fuel (in the form of chain oil) to work perfectly. This is the modern world, and despite what they might tell you down in your local paint shop, black and white are both rare, it’s all shades of grey.
Throughout the history of sport, rivalries have elevated standards and created some wonderful stories, but the natural competitive instinct that lies within all elite athletes invariably and eventually comes out, and traces of spite and bitterness often leak through the fissures and cracks that result.
In a team environment, even the most respectful of rivalries will invariably spill over in places, since the mix in personalities mean that someone, somewhere, will create a spark of animosity once they come into contact with their opponent.
It’s becoming apparent however that the rivalry between St Brigid’s and Pádraig Pearses might be the exception to that rule. When the two sides meet in knockout football, the contests that ensue are invariably enthralling to watch, but because they are so competitive and because both sides have enjoyed their good days, they could each argue that in the absence of the other, they would have established an incredibly dynasty in Roscommon football this decade.
Yet before and after Sunday’s county final, the standard, cursory words of recognition for the other team that you would expect to hear in these situations, feel so much more sincere. Players from both camps are far too savvy to be dismissive of clubs like Strokestown and Boyle, yet both indicated satisfaction that they would play each other in the final. They each understood that games like this one have pushed both teams to excel, and that a county final where the other one was vanquished would stand up well in the history books when compared with other county finals over the past three and four decades.
St Brigid’s captain Ruaidhrí Fallon explicitly said that “we want to play each other” while Conor Hand even went so far as to argue that St Brigid’s wouldn’t have been as successful as they have been outside of Connacht, were it not for the manner in which Pearses put them through their paces in the Roscommon championship.
It is because Pádraig Pearses measure themselves by the St Brigid’s metric that there wasn’t an ounce of self-pity when they lost Conor Ryan and Seán Canning to injury (the absence of the former was particularly glaring in the Hyde last weekend), but that they just understood that the challenge was to simply find a way to compensate, and to get better anyway.
And it is because St Brigid’s understood that this red storm was coming from their western flank that there was no question of complacency, which is no mean feat when you’re a team that has played in two of the last three All-Ireland club finals.
Even the six-in-a-row Dublin team, who on the surface appeared to take on the unflappable, methodical personality of their manager Jim Gavin, have had players come out in recent years and let it be known that they indulged their baser instincts when it came to Mayo. Paddy Andrews previously stated on an Off the Ball podcast that the phrase like “these are the lads who want to steal and destroy your dreams,” was uttered, even though they themselves were the ultimate nightmare for most of the country during their reign of dominance.
Even in the short time since the Dubs have slipped back into the pack, the sport has moved on. Electric cars are gradually replacing combustion engines, and fewer inter-county teams than ever before like to run on emotional fuel. A culture of always driving performance and being as good as you can be has replaced the more old-fashioned ethos of just finding a way, any way at all, to be one point better than your opponents.
On Sunday, much was made of Pearses’ failing to build on their supremacy when they went 0-13 to 0-11 up in the third quarter. A couple of very good chances went astray in that time, and in a club that grew used to taking almost every chance that came their way, that naturally became the focal point of much of the post-match postmortem.
Yet the two teams had nine wides each, and it was St Brigid’s who had the better goal chances, most notably Paul McGrath’s goal effort that cracked off the foot of the post. Not every referee would have given the penalty that Declan Kenny converted either, and David Murray’s goal was all about the bounce of the ball, and nothing related to slick team play.
There have been remarks too that St Brigid’s edged the battle on the sideline, which doesn’t necessarily ring true. Ronan Stack, Eddie Nolan and Charlie O’Carroll all made massive impacts off the bench once they came in, but they are Roscommon senior inter-county players from the past, present and future, so of course they would transform the game, but Pearses didn’t possess the same firepower, albeit Tom Butler’s equalising score was sensational.
Moreover, for the first three quarters of the game, it felt like Pearses created their chances through solid, cohesive and quick team play – surely a reflection of coaching – while St Brigid’s leaned heavily on individual brilliance, manifesting Conor Hand’s wonderful two-pointer and Ben O’Carroll’s point after he wove through an entire nest of Pearses defenders.
Pearses brought the intensity they needed to press high and force mistakes, even if it was a mistake from their own leading light Declan Kenny that led to the crucial St Brigid’s goal, and when they step away from this contest and reflect properly in the coming weeks, their focus will solely be on raising their own game, rather than trying to find ways to drag St Brigid’s back down to the middle of the chasing pack.
Already Pearses will be examining what they can do to draw in more capable players to bolster their depth, perhaps fast-tracking more and more of the players from this year’s successful minor team, all the more since their ‘back to the future’ approach featuring Niall Daly and Hubert Darcy didn’t really work out in their favour.
Meanwhile, St Brigid’s will start back in 2027 with a sense that they have more ducks in a row, but also knowing that these ducks can’t just go fat at the side of the lake from all the bread that is thrown their way.
They will be inundated with compliments for the foreseeable future, but compliments, like dry bread for the quackers, come with a lot of empty calories. And neither St Brigid’s nor Pearses have come to the incredible level that they both have reached, by taking those types of easy options along the way.
Like Ali and Frazier, Dublin and Kerry, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, St Brigid’s and Pádraig Pearses might produce classic battles that will live long in the memory, but unlike all of the others, they’ve come to understand – in the moment, not just with hindsight – that both legacies will be stronger for it.
Ruaidhrí Fallon: ‘Our lads stepped up in extra-time’
St Brigid’s captain Ruaidhrí Fallon was delighted to see his side come through another titanic battle with Pádraig Pearses, praising the team’s composure and contribution from the bench.
“It was a massive battle again for the whole 80 minutes, but thankfully our lads stepped up in extra-time when it was most needed. I thought we held on to the ball well and got the scores we needed. Shane Cunnane’s two-pointer there at the end was superb, and it sealed it for us.
“The subs were excellent again, and we will need every one of them if we want to progress further in the (Connacht) club championship.
“We are delighted to retain the title. It hasn’t been done in a long time, and we will celebrate it this week.”
Cunnane praises panel
St Brigid’s forward Shane Cunnane admitted that he had expected another tight encounter with Pádraig Pearses after the sides’ semi-final meeting and last year’s championship campaign.
“It was some game. I knew after the semi-final that it was going to be tight, the same as last year. We were just lucky that we were able to pull away at the end.
“Charlie (O’Carroll) and Eddie (Nolan) were brilliant when they came on. We were missing Eddie all year, and you can see that we have a serious panel there, with everyone putting in a huge effort.”
On the importance of two-point scores, Cunnane added: “You are a hero if they go over, and you look foolish if they don’t. Thankfully, I got a couple today, and the team did well in general in that regard.
“Pearses were always going to come at us, but we had players with cool heads who were able to calm things down in extra-time. We missed a few chances, but when the scores started to go over, we knew we could win it.”
Eddie Nolan: ‘It’s great to be back’
St Brigid’s substitute Eddie Nolan was delighted to make a telling contribution on his return from injury, paying tribute to those who supported him during his rehabilitation.
“I want to pay tribute to everyone in the club who looked after me when I was injured. You have to be careful with the timing of your return, but thankfully it worked out great today.
“It was a rollercoaster of emotions out there. We were up one minute and down the next. The Tom Butler two-pointer that brought the game to extra-time was unbelievable, but thankfully we rallied well in extra-time.
“It’s great to be back and to be able to help the team.”
5 takeaways from the 2026 Roscommon SFC
Seamus Duke
Game of the season
Last Sunday’s final was arguably the best decider we have seen in many years. That said, the semi-final between Pádraig Pearses and Boyle might never be matched in terms of drama, brilliant scores, and sheer entertainment. As with the inter-county game, it has been a great year for club football. There were several memorable games. The new rules have been a breath of fresh air. Gaelic football has been transformed.
Good news department
It is great to see a number of established county players back to full fitness. Brian Stack, Eddie Nolan, Shane Cunnane, Eoin Colleran, Cian McKeon, Enda Smith, Ben O’Carroll and Pearse Frost all returned from injury and played well in the championship. However, a long run for St Brigid’s in the provincial championship and beyond may well deprive Roscommon of their players in the early part of 2027. Of course, that remains to be seen.
Young talent
Several young players have come to the fore in this year’s Roscommon SFC. It would seem certain that players such as Eoghan Carthy, Jack Nevin, Dara Curran, Niall Heneghan, Enda Browne and John Price will feature on the Roscommon senior panel over the next year or two.
Club Player of the Year
My club player of the year is Conor Hand (St Brigid’s). He had a phenomenal year. The big mystery is why he hasn’t got more game time with Roscommon to date. After Enda Smith and Diarmuid Murtagh, I would regard the St Brigid’s man as a guaranteed starter whenever available.
Jack Nevin, Declan Kenny, Ben O’Carroll (back to his best), Senan Lambe, Niall Heneghan, Colm Neary, Eoin Colleran, Oisín Cregg, Cian McKeon and Darragh Heneghan all caught the eye at one stage or another during the year.
Rule changes? Let it be
After probably the best year in the history of Gaelic football, with the quality and entertainment value carrying over from the inter-county championships into the club championship, I think I speak for the vast majority of football people when I say that the game, as currently structured, should not be altered any further. The powers that be should give the current, very well received set of rules at least five years to bed in before making any more changes.
That’s my message to Kevin McStay and his colleagues on the Expert Advisory Group. Our game was broken. It’s not now. Let it be.
