Glencar Manor bow out of Connacht after epic encounter with St Brigids
St Brigids (Roscommon Champions) 1-13
Glencar / Manorhamilton (Leitrim Champions) 3-5
Glencar Manorhamilton just fell short in their bid to reach the Connacht Club Championship Final after a titanic and pulsating battle with Roscommon kingpins St. Brigids in Páirc Seán on Sunday last. A large Leitrim and Roscommon following were served with a match of high quality that ebbed and flowed throughout with a three-point blitz in the last two minutes of the game eventually securing victory for the visitors.
In the early exchanges scores were traded to leave the sides tied on two points apiece before Glencar Manor hit for their first of three goals on 12 minutes when Adrian Croal finished an inviting ball launched into the Brigids goalmouth. The visitors responded in style with four points to Manors one leaving the sides level heading towards half time. Then in the 25th minute disaster struck for the Manor men when a mix up in their defence led to Frankie Dolan capitalising for that all important goal to leave the half time score at 1-6 to 1-3 in favour of the Roscommon men.
Frees were exchanged on the resumption before James Glancy struck with a fisted equalising goal after good work from substitute Anthony McDonald who lofted a high ball into the danger zone for Glancy who finished well. Again, St Brigids had an immediate response, Scóring three unanswered points but more excitement unfolded as once again with 4 minutes remaining Manor showed their true battling qualities when Croal finished a great team move to the net with Anthony McDonald again the provider to leave the sides level. It looked at this stage as though the home side had the momentum to go on and claim victory but not for the first time in the match St Brigids hit 3 points on the trot in a two minute spell and while Manors Adrian Croal saw his final effort for goal go agonisingly over the bar, St Brigids were left relieved victors after a hard fought and intensely competive game.
Manor will look back on this game as one they could so easily of won and they will point to some crucial errors they made which were punished by a clinical St Brigids side. It is also worth noting that every time they mounted a challenge and drew parity the Brigids team were always able to respond and pull away from them. It was a marvellous effort by the Leitrim representatives and they can hold their heads high. St Brigids will go into the Connacht Final on the back of a game that was a real test for them. Despite all the pre-match hype of the match going to be a wallk in the park for the Roscommon men, they were made fight all the way. They will surely address the concession of three goals amongst all the positives they can take from their performance. Man of the Match was awarded to Ian Kilbride (No 5) for St Brigids. They now meet Killerin (Galway Champions) in the Connacht Final.
scorers: St Brigids: F Dolan 1-4 (0-2f), S Kilbride 0-5 (0-1f), D Dolan, I Kilbride, K Mannion, J Tiernan 0-1 each. Glencar/ Manorhamilton: A Croal 2-2, J Glancy 1-2 (0-2f), J Gilmartin 0-1.
ST BRIGIDS — P Martin, R Kelly, D Donnelly, nÓgrehan, I Kilbride, P Domican, G Cunniffe, G Dolan, K Mannion, Cathal McHugh, F Dolan, D Dolan, Conor McHugh, S Kilbride, D OConnor. Subs: J Tiernan for Cathal McHugh, D Kelleher for Conor McHugh.
GLENCAR/MANORHAMILTON — Gary Hickey,Thomas McDonald, Adrian OFlynn, Paddy Maguire, Dominic Kelly, Kieran OFlynn, Shane Loughlin, Colin Ryan, Darren Sweeney, James Gilmartin, James Glancy, Gerry Hickey, Adrian Croal, Fintan McGourty, Brian McDonald. Subs: Anthony McDonald for James Gilmartin, Aaron Hickey for Gerry Hickey, David Poniard for Adrian OFlynn, Ronan McGourty for Aaron Hickey.
REFEREE MICHAEL Duffy (Sligo).
09-Nov-10 by Colette Fox – PRO
