Fallon and Hand lead St. Brigid's to Connacht club glory for a sixth time
Conor Hand kicks one of his points in a Player of the Match performance as St. Brigid's claimed a sixth Connacht club football title in dramatic fashion against Maigh Cuilinn at King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park. Picture: INPHO/Dan Clohessy
St. Brigid's are Connacht club senior football champions for the sixth time after Ruaidhrí Fallon's 57th minute goal proved to be the decisive score in a terrific decider at King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park.
Conor Hand's seven-point haul had kept Anthony Cunningham's men in touch in a contest that ebbed and flow and, despite losing the midfield battle, Fallon kept his nerve to land the killer blow for the Roscommon champions.
Maigh Cuilinn, who left too many chances behind them, made a dream start.
Seán O’Connor set up Fionn McDonagh for a fisted point in the second minute before Seán Kelly’s delivery was punched to the net by Fiachra McDonagh a minute later.
Both sides’ radar went on the blink with a couple of wides, while Maigh Cuilinn were incensed when Eddie Nolan’s challenge on Johnny Moloney went unpunished as the number 10 bore down on the Brigid’s goal.
Bobby Nugent opened St. Brigid’s account from a ninth minute free before both sides squandered further chances — Ben O’Carroll miscuing a two-point attempt before Fionn McDonagh sent a presentable free wide.
Fionn McDonagh bided his time before handing Maigh Cuilinn a 1-02 to 0-01 lead.
Then, out of nothing, Conor Hand landed a monstrous two-pointer to haul his side back into contention.
Maigh Cuilinn midfielder Paul Kelly and St. Brigid’s forward Ben O’Carroll swapped points but the excellent Niall Walsh restored the visitors’ three-point lead after 19 minutes.
A pass from Brian Derwin didn’t make it to Eddie Nolan but O’Carroll picked up the rebound to grab his second score of the afternoon.
Hand left one between them after 21 minutes but a score from Fiachra McDonagh looked like consolidating Maigh Cuilinn’s half-time lead.
But, in what was the last action of the half, St. Brigid’s broke up a Maigh Cuilinn attack, allowing Hand to run half the length of the field and kick a superb two-pointer — his second of the half — to leave St. Brigid’s on level terms, 0-08 to 1-05.
A high quality second half saw Brian Derwin and Niall Walsh exchange early scores before Ciarán Sugrue nudged Anthony Cunningham’s charges back in front.
But Maigh Cuilinn, with Peter Cooke on the field, took over around the middle third as a David Wynne score was followed by a two-pointer from Dessie Conneely and a single by Fionn McDonagh to catapult their side 1-10 to 0-10 in front.
Shane Cunnane and Conor Hand replied with scores to leave their side very much in the hunt but, despite continuing to lord primary possession around the middle, Maigh Cuilinn couldn’t translate their dominance to the scoreboard.
A mark by Conneely was cancelled out by Hand’s seventh point of the game. Substitute Mark Daly brought the sides level before Paul McGrath edged Brigid’s in front with nine minutes remaining.
Conneely levelled matters before a brilliant point from the left flank by David Wynne edged Moycullen back in front.
However, St. Brigid’s landed the killer blow when Mark Daly competed for an effort from Hand that dropped short. Ciarán Sugrue picked up the pieces and played the ball out to Fallon who kept his cool to find the net.
Conneely grabbed his fifth point of the game but when Maigh Ciulinn for were punished for a three-up breach, O’Carroll pointed the resultant straightforward free to confirm St. Brigid’s as champions and set up an All-Ireland semi-final meeting against the Ulster champions in early January.
Scorers for St. Brigid’s: C. Hand 0-7 (2 tp), B. O’Carroll 0-3 (1f), R. Fallon 1-0, B. Nugent 0-1 (1f), B. Derwin 0-1, C. Sugrue 0-1, S. Cunnane 0-1, M. Daly 0-1, P. McGrath 0-1.
Scorers for Maigh Cuilinn: D. Conneely 0-5 (1 tpf, 1m, 1f), Fiachra McDonagh 1-1, Fionn McDonagh 0-3, N. Walsh 0-2, D. Wynne 0-2, P. Kelly 0-1.
St. Brigid’s: C. Carroll; R. Smith, S. Trundle, R. Dolan; R. Fallon, B. Stack, P. McGrath; S. Cunnane, E. Nolan; C. Sugrue, C. Hand, B. Nugent; B. O’Carroll, S. Kilbride, B. Derwin. Subs: M. Daly for Kilbride (43), R. Stack for Smith (45), C. O’Carroll for Nugent (49), E. Derwin for Sugrue (60).
Maigh Cuilinn: P. Greally; A. Claffey, M. Moughan, E. Kelly; S. O’Connor, S. Kelly, D. Wynne; P. Kelly, T. Clarke; J. Moloney, N. Walsh, G. Davoren; Fionn McDonagh, Fiachra McDonagh, D. Conneely. Subs: P. Cooke for O’Connor (26), J. McLoughlin for Fiachra McDonagh (49), C. Corcoran for Clarke (60).
Referee: L. Devenney (Mayo).
