St Brigids V St Galls Semi Final O’ Donnell Cup
In the first of the O’Donnell Cup semi finals St Brigids faced St Galls in what was to prove a tough but enjoyable 40mins of football.
Initial exchanges were fairly even with both teams probing for an opening. St.Galls were first to offer any real threat, but the St Brigids defence and in particular the full back line of Finbar Devlin, Tiernan Cahill and Daire McGarvey were fully alert to the danger, ably supported by the excellent Ethan Carleton in goals.
Further out the field St Brigids began to get into their stride through the industry of James Smith and Joe Finnegan at midfield, who were well supported by the skill, determination and passing ability of Odhran Boyle, Enda Kelly-McCann and Patrick Finnegan. However good approach work was left unrewarded, when a number of good opportunities went begging – a combination of poor shooting and stubborn St Galls defensive work.
However patience has been added to skill and mobility and eventually a breakthrough came when Peter Lavery exchanged passes with the excellent Gerard Kervick to set up Patrick Finnegan for a fine point. This was quickly doubled when the same player both earned and slotted over a free kick.
St Galls were contesting every ball, so the St Brigid’s half back line of Frank McCormack, Paul Storrs and Phelim Lennon had to be up to the challenge and duly were. None more so than Paul Storrs whose battling qualities epitomized his team’s spirit and work rate. After being fouled for his troubles, he quickly moved the resulting free on to the quick thinking Enda who kept the ball moving via Odhran Boyle, Peter Lavery and Gerard Kervick. It eventually nestled in the St Gall’s net courtesy of the alert John Toner, who dispatched with aplomb – a fine team goal. St Galls copied when they moved the ball quickly forward to score a fine point of their own. St Brigid’s defence had to be at their most resistant and further threat was capably dealt with by Phelim Lennon and just behind, Finbar Devlin whose qualities were mirrored on the left side by Frank McCormack and Daire McGarvey and at centre full-back the strong anchor Tiarnan Cahill.
The game continued to ebb and flow until the half time whistle. Half time St Brigids 1 – 2 St Galls 0 – 1
The second half started in the same vein with both teams displaying high levels of skill and commitment in the best championship spirit. For St Brigids, James Smith and Joseph Finnegan were working hard in midfield. The same players managed to combine when Joseph floated a right-sided free kick, goalwards to be met by the in-rushing James who fisted it to the net. They say you are at your most vulnerable when you score and so it proved to be, when St Galls quickly raided up field to score a fine goal of their own. St Brigids thought they had cancelled this out, when the excellent Odhran Boyle wove his way through and hit a rasper to the underside of the bar. Did the rebounding shot cross the line? St Galls defence were not waiting for an answer and duly cleared to safety. St Brigids made sure moments later, when after a fine team move John Toner drove a fine shot into the top corner for his second goal.
St Brigids had to be at their best in every department to thwart the St Galls surge. None more so, than Phelim Lennon, who left the field injured for his efforts. However his replacement, Rory Lynch slotted right in and never put a foot wrong. One fine interception and pass from Rory found Frank McCormack who in customary style moved the ball on through the hard working half-forward line of Patrick Finnegan, Odhran Boyle and Enda Kelly-McCann, who combined brilliantly for the latter to kick high between the uprights for a fine point. John Toner thought he had added another major score, for his hatrick, only for it to be disallowed for a square ball. Still the more settled St Brigids did add a minor score when the roaming James Smith found the time and space to slot over. The St Brigids forwards continued to work hard none more so than the talented Gerard Kervick and Peter Lavery. When the former took a knock, the impressive John Duffy ably replaced him. As the game reached its conclusion the St Galls never-give-up attitude was rewarded with another two points from play.
Final score St Brigids 3 – 4 St Galls 2 – 3
This was a fine panel effort from all the players present and though the game by its closeness and end-to-end nature proved difficult for any wholesale changes to be made, the team took great encouragement knowing ready and willing squad members were there to be called on. So the winning panel on Saturday was Henry Doran, Conor Kelly, Luke O’Sullivan, Hugh Bogue, Jamie Murphy, Ciaran Diamond, Rory Lynch, Phelim Lennon, John Duffy, John Toner, Gerard Kervick, Peter Lavery, Patrick Finnegan, Enda Kelly-McCann, Odhran Boyle, James Smith, Joseph Finnegan, Paul Storrs, Frank McCormack, Finbar Devlin, Tiarnan Cahill, Daire McGarvey and Ethan Carleton.
This was a good game of sporting football by both teams and where St Brigids had to dig deep to eventually win through. They now make the final for the second consecutive year where they await the winners of the second semi-final between St Johns and Rossa.
