Takeaways from Thurles: St Brigid's trump Castlehaven in ultimate test of composure

Two matchups were always likely to prove crucial in St Brigid's v Castlehaven

Sun, 07 Jan, 2024 - 16:29

Maurice Brosnan

A game of matchups

Two matchups were always likely to prove crucial in St Brigid's v Castlehaven. On one side, Ben O’Carroll came into this semi-final with a remarkable 7-29 total from his club campaign so far. At the other, Brian Hurley had to evade the clutches of Roscommon All-Star nominee Brian Stack.

Stack’s 2023 CV included several awesome accomplishments but his 2024 started with one of the toughest afternoons he has had to endure. Early on Hurley declared his intentions by dropping the shoulder and taking Stack on. By half-time he had four on the board, two from play and a free conceded by his marker. He finished with 0-6 in total.

Meanwhile, with Johnny O’Regan for company, O’Carroll was busy making up for it at the other end. His first point was a beauty, collecting the ball from Shane Cunnane and curling over from 30 metres. The goal stemmed from his driving run and patience.

After a string of second-half wides, it was O’Carroll who came again to get them going and set Robbie Dolan away.

With two points separating them and eight minutes left, Hurley drove to Stack once more. The ball broke away and they both dived after it, Castlehaven getting the decision from David Coldrick.

As the clock turned red, there was two in it. O’Carroll was involved again as a prolonged bout of possession ended with a Paul McGrath point and the number 13 closed it out by chipping over a late penalty.

Castlehaven couldn’t counterpunch

Sports psychologists up and down the land will preach about the importance of making sure one setback is only one setback. The answer to a goal is to score in response. Make it a two-point hit rather than three. Castlehaven had a chance to do even better after Brian Derwin’s killer blow.

The only green flag came after O’Carroll took possession from Eddie Nolan and wriggled his way to the edge of the square. As everyone rushed to catch up with him, the sharpshooter slowed down. That pause made the move and Derwin did the rest.

Hurley then had a straightforward free by his standards, but he pulled it wide. Moments later, he played a defence-slicing pass to Jack Cahalane who spun and smashed a shot off the woodwork. Rory Maguire would do similar midway through the second half.

The Munster champions swung back when pinned to the ropes. They just weren’t able to land.

The ultimate test of composure

Football is a funny game. For 30 minutes St Brigid’s a beacon of calm. Their movement and runners from deep rocked Castlehaven to their core. Almost every phase ended with a shot and only three efforts missed their mark.

All of that composure that constructed a four-point lead seemed to desert them after the turnaround. Paul McGrath blazed a goal chance wide. It rippled across the green and red, unsettling them all over. O’Carroll, Derwin, Ronan Stack and Conor Hand all tried and failed to find the target. With seven minutes remaining, a Brian Hurley free brought his club back within a single point.

That climb back then brought some unfortunate slips. Damien Cahalane tried a speculative shot from the top of the D and conceded an unnecessary foul soon after. Rory Maguire’s handpass across to Michael Hurley failed to find a man and went out for a sideline.

This semi-final was a physical and psychological examination. St Brigid’s will pick over the departure of their composure ahead of the decider. Castlehaven will rue the absence of it in the close.