Ryan the game-breaker for Saints

DECEMBER football doesn’t enjoy the most enviable of reputations but the Dublin and Laois champions made light of the heavy and Baltic conditions yesterday to deliver one of the best games seen in the last 12 months.

It took almost 90 minutes to separate the protagonists who shared 34 scores, 56 frees and eight yellow cards in this Leinster club semi-final. They drew level eight times in all before Philly Ryan’s late goal sealed a place in the Leinster final for Brigid’s in extra-time.

That is just the bare bones.