Pádraig Pearses stun St Brigid's in Roscommon SFC

Boyle have struggled for form all year and they crashed out to Roscommon Gaels, 1-9 to 0-9.

Sun, 22 Sep, 2024 - 19:00

Kevin Egan

St. Brigid’s, All-Ireland finalists just eight months ago, were the biggest casualties on a weekend of shocks in the Roscommon SFC. Four out of four underdogs picked up victories on quarter-final weekend, all by a margin of a goal or less, with no shortage of drama and tension across the county.

By far the biggest clash was the game in Dr. Hyde Park yesterday, where Pádraig Pearses coughed up a four-point lead to trail by three points with five minutes of normal time to play, before scores from Paul Carey, Niall Carty and Declan Kenny drew the sides level at 0-10 apiece to force extra time.

The 2021 Roscommon and Connacht champions carried their momentum into extra time by kicking four of the next five points, but a black card for Conor Daly shifted things back in St. Brigid’s favour, with a mark from Ruaidhrí Fallon and a monster Brian Stack point setting up a dramatic finale.

After winning a free in front of the posts on the 20m line, Paul McGrath opted to go for a quick free to Conor Hand but the ball was fumbled, and when Shane Cunnane missed the resultant 45, St. Brigid’s chance was gone and it fell to Kenny to kick the final score in an 0-15 to 0-13 win.

Boyle lost out by just a point to St. Brigid’s in last year’s county final but they have struggled for form all year and they crashed out to Roscommon Gaels, 1-9 to 0-9.

Ryan Conlon’s goal helped the Gaels into a fully-deserved 1-4 to 0-3 half-time lead at Strokestown and after adding the first three points of the second half, they were in control. Boyle then kicked five points in ten minutes to turn the game around but they couldn’t build on that and late scores from Mark Purcell and Cian Connolly saw the Gaels home.

Oran will be inconsolable this week after they lost their fourth consecutive quarter-final thanks to a dramatic late collapse against Michael Glaveys. They led by seven points midway through the second half and 1-11 to 0-9 with five minutes to play, when Glaveys were reduced to 14 men through Daniel Hagney’s dismissal. Andy Glennon’s goal gave them hope however and they kept pressing, even after losing Luke Ruane to a black card, getting their reward when they won a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time. U-20 forward Robert Heneghan showed nerves of steel to convert the penalty for a 2-9 to 1-11 win.

Finally Diarmuid Murtagh made a serious shout for All-Star consideration when he illuminated Kiltoom with a glorious display for St. Faithleach’s. He scored 1-7 in all, including 1-4 from play and a stunning solo goal, in a remarkable 3-17 to 1-22 extra-time win over Clann na nGael. St. Faithleach’s will now play Pearses, with Michael Glaveys taking on Roscommon Gaels in the other semi-final in a fortnight.