BRIGID’S HOLD EDGE
Callaghan goal proves decisive for super Saints in a tight last-four clash against battling Crokes
DUBLIN MHC ‘A’ SEMI-FINAL
ST BRIGID’S…………………………………………….. 2-11
KILMACUD CROKES…………………………………… 1-11
Daire Walsh
KEVIN CALLAGHAN’S 49th minute goal was invaluable for St Brigid’s on Sunday morning in O’Toole Park, as they booked their place in the Dublin Minor ‘A’ Hurling Championship decider with a narrow victory over Kilmacud Crokes.
There was little to separate the sides throughout the course of an enthralling encounter, but even though Crokes had gathered momentum in the early stages of the second period, Brigid’s held a slight edge during the closing moments of the action.
Playing in Group 1 of the competition, Crokes got their campaign off to a losing start away to St Vincent’s, but courtesy of subsequent triumphs over Craobh Chiarain and Lucan Sarsfields, they progressed to the last-four. St Brigid’s were more comprehensive in Group 2, as wins against Na Fianna, Naomh Barrog and Ballyboden St Enda’s enabled the Russell Park outfit to finish at the summit of the table.
This made Brigid’s marginal favourites in the build-up to this clash, but it was Crokes who enjoyed a dream start to the proceedings. After turning sharply close to the posts on three minutes, Fiachra O’Connor picked out full-forward Alex Considine – who found the back of Michael Courtney’s net with considerable aplomb. It was the kind of beginning that Brigid’s were hoping to avoid, but they did reduce their deficit to the bare minimum with back-to-back scores from centre-forward Eoin Dunne and Dublin minor star Johnny McGuirk (’65’).
Callaghan had a goal chance deflected past the upright prior to McGuirk’s point, but after well-taken efforts by Mark O’Rourke and corner-back Stephen McEntee, they were keeping a safe distance between them and their northside opponents.
It was quite congested at times in the middle-third, and both forward lines were living off scraps for large periods of the opening half. Yet, Cian O’Sullivan worked tirelessly in the Brigid’s attack, and he added a 0-2 salvo just beyond the first-quarter mark.
TICKING
Crokes kept the scoreboard ticking away with a fine Considine point on 20 minutes, and although it was another eight minutes before the next score arrived, it heralded a strong conclusion to the half by Brigid’s.
Sean Dunphy pointed sharply from 40 metres, and this was supplemented by a terrific Dunne three-pointer just shy of the half-hour mark. This placed Brigid’s into the ascendancy for the first time, and after McGuirk coolly split the posts in time added on, they entered the half-time break with three points to spare (1-6 to 1-3).
This was a huge psychological boost for the Navan Road boys, who included two players – Donnacha Ryan and O’Sullivan – from Dublin’s All-Ireland MHC semi-final defeat to Tipperary in August.
Crokes duo Fergal Whitely and Considine were on the scoresheet for the Metropolitans on that occasion, but they were missing the presence of injured county full-back, Darragh Butler. The Glenablyn side fell further behind upon the resumption when McGuirk was once again accurate from a close-range free, but Crokes did respond with unanswered points from Johnny Maher (two) and the aforementioned Whitely.
Whitely was now making his presence felt in a big way, and after McGuirk registered his fourth of the day, a brace from the pacey Crokes wing-forward levelled matters at 1-8 apiece. O’Connor and Cathal Keane points helped the southsiders to regain the lead, which represented a significant turnaround from the position they were in at the interval.
However, O’Sullivan had a shot saved by Cillian Fleming on 47 minutes, before the Crokes custodian was powerless in his efforts to stop Callaghan’s majestic strike. Callaghan, a Dublin minor footballer this year, caught the eye with a tremendous catch, and O’Sullivan’s aerial ability was evident when he added a point nine minutes from the end.
Crokes had to chase down their counterparts once again, but after Tom Fox had the found the range from the left-hand touchline, Brigid’s opened up another three-point gap with contributions by O’Sullivan and substitute Rory Hanley.
These scores proved to be decisive, and in spite of their best efforts, Crokes couldn’t produce the goal that would deny Brigid’s a spot in the upcoming showpiece against a talented Na Fianna.
MATCH FILE
Scorers – St Brigid’s: J McGuirk (1 ’65’, 1f), C O’Sullivan 0-4 each, E Dunne 1-1, K Callaghan 1-0, S Dunphy, R Hanley 0-1 each.
Kilmacud Crokes: A Considine 1-1, F Whitely 0-3, J Maher 0-2 (2f), S McEntee, T Fox, C Keane, M O’Rourke, F O’Connor.
ST BRIGID’S: M Courtney; A Dunphy, J O’Neill, C Breslin; D Hawkshaw, D Ryan, D McKenna; S Dunphy, J McGuirk; J Connolly, E Dunne, K Callaghan; B Moran, M Donnelly, C O’Sullivan.
SUBS: J O’Connell for Connolly (26), R Hanley for Donnelly (46).
KILMACUD CROKES: C Fleming; C McNicholas, E Sheehy, S McEntee; D Dagg, T Fox, J Gibbons; C Keane, M O’Rourke; F Whitely, J Maher, R Hayes; S O’Dwyer, A Considine, F O’Connor.
SUBS: C O’Dwyer for Dagg (34), S Dunbar for Maher (55).
MENTORS – ST BRIGID’S: C Maher, J O Cleirigh, P Lenihan, C O’Connor. KILMACUD CROKES: K O’Neill, D Smyth, P McAvinue, S Breslin, A Nolan.
REFEREE: Mick O’Flaherty (St Mark’s).
WIDES – St Brigid’s: 13 (7+6). Kilmacud Crokes: 12 (7+5).
CONDITIONS: Mild and dry for the majority of the contest.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Cian O’Sullivan (St Brigid’s).