St. Brigid’s manager looking to avoid Sunday shock
AIB Connacht Club SFC Semi-Final: Aughawillan v St. Brigid’s on Sunday at Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon at 2 pm
St. Brigid’s will be the hot favourites to reach another Connacht club final when they face Leitrim kingpins, Aughawillan, in Carrick-on Shannon on Sunday. The form book would suggest an easy win for St. Brigid’s and the bookmakers show the Roscommon champions at odds of 1/100 but the reality is that it might not just be as easy as that.
Brigid’s will recall a number of tight games over the years against Leitrim opposition, however, it would be a massive shock were Frankie Dolan’s men not to prevail and reach the final against Castlebar or Corofin (who play in the other semi-final on Sunday).
St. Brigid’s team manager Frankie Dolan is recovering from an appendix operation this week and he says that Brigid’s will be showing Aughawillan full respect on Sunday.
“We are without Ian Kilbride (gone abroad) and Garvan Dolan (suspended) and they will be big losses but we have everyone else available and we have prepared well for this match on Sunday. It’s a new competition for us now and we intend to give it everything to see where it takes us,” said Frankie on Tuesday.
“The fact that we are favourites to win makes no difference at all. We still have to go out and perform and Aughawillan are a well-drilled outfit. They won their championship well and they are at home and they are used to playing in Carrick so we will be paying them full respect. We know that we will have to play well to win and hopefully we can do that,” he concluded.
Aughawillan will go into this semi-final with nothing to lose. Everyone expects St. Brigid’s to win and they would love to cause a shock. They beat Glencar/Manorhamilton by a point in the county final and they have a number of notable players such as Ciaran Gilheaney, Barry Prior, Mark and Gary Plunkett and Morgan Quinn and they are well managed by Tommy McCormack.
But Brigid’s were very impressive in the recent county final and still have loads of top class, experienced players who have been there so many times before. You never see one-sided games in the club championship particularly at this time of the year yet it would be a major shock if Brigid’s were to be overturned here.
Prediction: St. Brigid’s by four points
