Resilience will replace Brigid’s regret
St. Brigid's goalkeeper Cormac Sheehy wonders what might have been following his side's one-point defeat against Glen in Croke Park. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
It has emerged over the past week that St. Brigid’s and Liverpool have a lot in common — they are both good at keeping closely guarded secrets on the managerial front.
Credit where it is due — neither story was leaked until both clubs wanted the announcement to be made at the appropriate times.
St. Brigid’s have former manager Anthony Cunningham back in charge. With a few minutes remaining in Croke Park last Sunday week, it seemed that he would be taking over a team that reigning All-Ireland club senior football champions. How would one have followed that incredible achievement unless successive club titles were achieved.
Anthony Cunningham is a shrewd manager. He has plenty of experience at intercounty and club levels. He will appreciate that he’s inheriting a side where a county or even a Connacht club title might not satisfy a group of players that were millimetres away from being the best club team in the land.
How many times would you do things differently today, solving the puzzles that caused problems yesterday? It’s called experience and if St. Brigid’s could get back those final five minutes when they were closing in on their dream, they would have played out those dying moments with a different mentality and mindset.
The pain of blowing a four-point lead with five minutes to play is still raw. But, for a young team, it could be the making of them.
Over the next few months, resilience can replace regret and they will come back stronger. They will know that the one thing they shouldn’t have done during those final few minutes in Croke Park was to concede a goal. If they kept their net intact, the Andy Merrigan Cup would be back in Kiltoom this week.
Anthony Cunningham will bring a tough mentality and resilience to the squad. But he must not dilute the team’s natural talent of playing in the moment, alongside the quality and attacking flair they bring to the table.
Some of the football Jerome Stack’s side played in the Connacht club final against Corofin, against Castlehaven in the All-Ireland semi-final and against Glen in the decider was outstanding. It was as good as the club has ever produced since winning its first Connacht club championship in 2006.
Footballers, by nature, are like trampolines — they bounce back very quickly from setbacks and heartache.
Come next August, Brigid’s will be starting from the bottom of the mountain with Padraig Pearses and Boyle gunning for them on the home front.
If they were to climb the Roscommon mountain, they would only have the Mayo club champions at home in the provincial series. They would be on the road against the Galway, Leitrim and Sligo champions.
But this current St. Brigid’s side wouldn’t fear a contest against Corofin, Moycullen, Westport or Ballina during a provincial campaign. And yet a first round scrap against Mohill on a wet and windy day in Carrick would take negotiating if last November’s game was anything to go by.
St. Brigid’s did everything but win the All-Ireland. If they ever get that opportunity again, they will be wiser men. Every day is a school day and the hard lessons learned on Sunday, January 21st, should not prevent this squad of players from going on to third level. With their new tutor Anthony Cunningham at the helm, the homework will start in mid-February. They will be back on the playing pitches and the O'Rourke Cup will see the pain drift away, replaced by hope and new goals.
It's always good to finish on a positive spin. St. Brigid’s should note that, over the past three seasons of the All-Ireland club senior football championship, the previous year’s beaten finalists went on to win the All-Ireland title the following year — Kilcoo, (lost 2021, won 2022), Kilmacud Crokes (lost 2022, won 2023) and Glen (lost 2023, won 2024).
Could 2025 be St. Brigid’s year?
Never mind one storm, not even two — within 48 hours, not even Isha or Jocelyn could ignite the power surge my Tuesday Teaser gang generated last week.
Can you name the last man from Ulster who managed a county outside of his own province to win a senior provincial football title? It was Mickey Moran with Mayo in 2006.
QPR, Frenchpark, was first with full power, with Michael Scally, Ballaghaderreen; Fr John McManus, PP Castlerea; Murt Hunt, Ballyhaunis; Seán Farrell, Roscommon; Bernard Duffy, Longford/Loughglynn; Brian Stenson, Castlerea; Paddy Conlon, Taughmaconnell; Mick Fetherston, Dublin; Liam Dooley, Ballyhaunis; Mary Gilfillan, Kilmore; David Callaghan, Castlerea; Luigi, Ballyhaunis; Pat, Sligo; Paddy Boland, Youghal, and Michael Kearns, Clapham also having their lights on.
Answers by e-mail to willieefc@gmail.com or by text to 086 8356227. This week’s teaser comes from London.
Star pupil: Darragh Canavan as the Tyrone star, who posted 0-8, was the reason his side defeated Roscommon on Sunday.
Crucial win for: Derry as they started life in Division One with a superb victory over Kerry in Tralee.
Much do better: Not a good start for Galway as Mayo clipped the Tribesmen’s wings in impressive manner.
Spot of bother: It will be interesting to see how the Irish rugby team cope as a new era is ushered in without Jonathan Sexton at number 10.
Weekend highlight: The return of the National Football League means that another GAA season is up and running.
What a cracker: The opening game in the Six Nations should be a cracker with France hosting Grand Slam champions Ireland in Marseille on Friday night.
“The past is your lesson. The present is your gift. The future is your motivation.”
Of the 16 games played on the opening weekend of the NFL, there were ten away wins, five home wins and one draw.
After jumping the gun with Lee Carsley, the FAI has been left red-faced and are back to square one in their search for a new manager.
Neil Lennon has now jumped to the top of the queue.
