Hodson Bay Group Roscommon SFC semi-final

St Brigid’s 0-16 Clann na nGael 0-11

 

Kevin Egan at Woodmount

 

Losing sight of their natural style of play put St Brigid’s in a world of trouble last Sunday afternoon in Woodmount, but rediscovering their mojo at half-time ensured that they were able to extricate themselves from trouble and secure their return to county final Sunday.

Coming into this game – and coming out of it – St Brigid’s had a ratio of exactly one two-pointer per championship game, despite the fact that they are scoring freely. No senior club in Roscommon raises fewer orange flags from distance, but a review of their quarter-final win over Roscommon Gaels would show how they have still made the arc work in their favour. Opponents have to push out to respect the threat that players like Eddie Nolan, Shane Cunnane and Conor Hand pose from distance, which in turn opens up the space for the more mercurial figures in the attack to weave their magic close to goal, carving and converting plenty of scoring chances in heavy traffic.

On Sunday, Eoghan Derwin opened the scoring by hoisting a long kick over all that traffic for a double in the opening minute, but for the rest of the opening half, St Brigid’s chased the dragon and got burned.

One attempt was dropped short into Seán Kelly’s hands, five more were sent wide of the uprights and this profligacy left Clann in contention in a game where most of the other fundamentals of St Brigid’s play were sound.

Conor Carroll’s kickouts were largely on target, they pressed high up the pitch to put pressure on Clann working the ball out from defence, and though their handling wasn’t flawless, when the wind and the intensity of the contest was factored in, it wasn’t a weak spot.

That’s not to say that they had things all their own way. Early grappling between Shane Cunnane and Ultan Harney yielded yellow cards and also sent out a clear message that neither team, nor indeed referee Dermot Lyons, were in any mood to take a backward step.

Clann also brought exactly the level of doggedness that they needed. Harney was combative and abrasive, Oisín O’Flaherty looked like he’d be right at home playing at running back in the NFL, while Paul McManus was a useful target man close to the St  Brigid’s goal. The full-back line looked sharp too, albeit they weren’t tested as much as they might have been with so many attacks terminating outside their domain.

Clann kicked just three points into the dressing room end goal but with the breeze set to favour them, the only warning sign was the last three St Brigid’s points before half-time; scores from Ben O’Carroll, Brian Derwin and Conor Hand that came from traditional St  Brigid’s attacking, i.e. plotting their route to the finish line with care and thought.

A two-pointer from Ciarán Lennon halved the deficit and roused the Clann crowd further early in the second half, but for the remainder of the game, St Brigid’s moved and played like chess grandmasters.

Meticulous ball control and management ensured that every possession saw them take at least two or three minutes off the clock before they relinquished possession through either a turnover or a shot, while their ability to get shots off in tight spaces close to goal was crucial to the conversion of nine scores into the wind, a remarkable tally that seemed out of reach by half-time.

For their part, Clann scored just three more times, all from long distance. Paul McManus kicked a wonderful score from the right-hand side, Ciarán Lennon missed one excellent chance from a mark but nailed another free, and a speculative long ball from Michael Harrington sailed all the way over from 55 metres out to reduce the gap to two points with roughly five minutes to play.

But as they had been all second half, St Brigid’s were unperturbed, calm, composed. They held the ball, stretched a Clann side that didn’t look like they had the energy to hunt them down, and three points in a row saw them home with their customary strategy and self-awareness.

It just took them half the game to find it.

St Brigid’s: Conor Carroll; Rúairí Smith, Séan Trundle, Robbie Dolan; Ruaidhrí Fallon, Brian Stack (0-1), Paul McGrath (0-1); Shane Cunnane (0-1, 45), Eddie Nolan; Conor Hand (0-2), Bobby Nugent (0-1f), Ciarán Sugrue (0-1); Ben O’Carroll (0-4, 0-1f), Brian Derwin (0-3), Eoghan Derwin (0-2, tp). Sub used: Mark Daly for E Derwin (50).

Clann na nGael: Seán Kelly; Patrick Gavin, Feargal Lennon, Tom Lennon; Shane Pettit, Michael Harrington (0-2, tp), Shane Gavin; Kieran Connaughton, Ultan Harney (0-1); Emmett Kenny, Alan McManus, Oisín O’Flaherty; Paul McManus (0-2, tp), Ciarán Lennon (0-6, 0-2f, 1tp, 1tpf), Josh Lennon. Subs used: Dylan Sumner for Connaughton (38), Oisín Lennon for Kenny (38), Feargus Lennon for Harney (54), Dara Pettit for A McManus (60).

Referee: Dermot Lyons (Castlerea).

 

Stat Attack

Wides: St Brigid’s 9; Clann na nGael 6

Yellow cards: St Brigid’s 1 (Cunnane); Clann na nGael 2 (Harney, C Lennon)

Black cards: St Brigid’s 0; Clann na nGael 0

Red cards: St Brigid’s 0; Clann na nGael 0

Man of the Match: Brian Derwin (St Brigid’s)