NORTHERN SWITCHGEAR SFC Final
3-00pm Sunday – Corrigan Park
Rossa v St. Brigid’s
O’Donovan Rossa take on St. Brigid’s in this Sunday’s Senior Football Championship in a decider few would have predicted at the start of this year’s championship. It’s been a while since two teams from the city have contested the football decider but both sides are there on merit.
It’s been a tough group campaign for both clubs with Rossa recovering from a heavy opening defeat to Dunloy to build momentum through the campaign while St Brigid’s also lost their opener, to Cargin, before responding strongly.
Rossa would recover from that 20 point defeat at Pearse Park to defeat Glenravel and Tir na nOg to qualify for the quarter-finals where they faced another massive hurdle in the form of Casement’s Portglenone.
Odhran Doherty and Tom Duffin scored first half goals to leave the South West side 2-8 to 0-9 ahead at the interval with Thomas Morgan, Stephen Beatty, Eoin McMenamin, Colm Fleming and Corey Walsh amongst the first half point scorers for the Jeramiah’s,
The Shaws Road side came back strongly in the second half to force extra time thanks to a penalty conversion by their talisman, Dominic McEnhill as the game edged into added time and an even later point from the returning Cormac McGettigan.
It was Morgan who landed the decisive score in a hard fought injury time as he hand passed the ball over the bar despite being under serious pressure to give the Jeremiah’s a remarkable victory.
Rossa would again be cast as underdogs in the semi-final against Erin’s Own Cargin at Sunday’s venue and the Cargin favourites tag looked to have been well founded when they led by 12 points with half time approaching.
Gerard Walsh landed a huge two pointer before Colin Fleming converted a free from outside the arc to reduce the Cargin lead to eight in the third minute of injury time.
Rossa’s opening goal came with the last action of the first half. Gerard Walsh sent a long, high ball into the Cargin full back line where Liam McEnhill rose highest to claim. He laid the ball to Dominic McEnhill and he made no mistake with an expert finish.
With a five point lead at half time, 1-11 to 1-6, Cargin where in a familiar position. It was similar to their quarter final against Creggan but this time their opposition refused to go away.
The game was evenly poised as the clock ticked towards full time and Cargin looked like they could hold on for victory but Rossa struck their second major in the 57th minute to effectively swing the game dramatically in their favour.
The superb McMenamin made the break from midfield before finding Morgan and he bore down on goal to finish superbly to give the Jeremiah’s a two point lead.
Cargin pushed and looked for ways to get back into the game. They had chances but the Rossa defence were superb in those closing stages and deserving of their victory.
Their opponents on Sunday, St. Brigid’s recovered from an opening day defeat in Toome in Group 3 to beat St. Gall’s and Moneyglass and qualify from their group in second place.
An improving St. Johns were their opponents in the quarter-final in Hannastown with Naomh Brid attempting to overcome the quarter-final hurdle for the first time in their history and their first half performance was textbook when playing against the elements.
Ronan McGrady, James Smith and Patrick Finnegan all raised the green flag while McGrady finished top scorer for the south Belfast men with 1-4.
St Brigid’s were well placed at half time and the chances of a St John’s comeback looked bleak. Despite Ryan McNulty opening the scoring in the second half, points from McGrady and a two pointer from Paul Bradley had St Brigid’s six points ahead.
Incredibly, St Brigid’s would only register one more score in the 22 minutes of the hour plus injury time that remained.
Slowly a Paddy McBride inspired St. John’s clawed their way back into the contest and the ‘Johnnies’ free taker had a last gasp opportunity to tie the contest but his free tailed wide of the target.
Lessons appeared to have been learned when St. Brigid’s met reigning champions Dunloy in the semi-final with the Musgrave Park side excellent in their win over the Cuchullain’s.
A clinical, dominant second half performance from St Brigid’s was enough to dethrone Dunloy and seal their place in the senior final for the first time in their 28 year history.
The sides were tied at 0-5 apiece at half time but Cathal Murray’s side stepped it up after the break with creativity and pressure on the Dunloy midfield. With Niall Duffy and JJ Higgins showcasing skills in attack, the pressure on the Dunloy defence was unrelenting.
The introduction of underage starlet Joe Logan gave St Brigid’s another attacking option and the youngster, Logan played with the freedom that comes from belief and confidence and a swagger that is rarely seen at senior level.
The middle third is where St Brigid’s lay the foundations for their impressive win with Jack Dowling, Ronan Boyle, Patrick and Joseph Finnegan all outstanding. If they didn’t win clean ball from kick-outs, they were by far the hungrier when it came to the breaking ball.
St. Brigid’s would go on to record a comfortable 0-17 to 0-8 victory and will feel that this is their year but should be wary of a Rossa team who have come from nowhere to record impressive wins over Portglenone and Cargin and rightly earn their place in Sunday’s showpiece.
Sean Fleming’s side are a good mixture of youth and experience with former Antrim keeper, Mick Byrne, Patrick Moyes, Gerard Walsh, Niall Crossan, Eoghan McMenamin, Dominic McEnhill, Diarmuid Rogan, Stephen Beatty, Colm Fleming and Thomas Morgan leading their challenge on Sunday while Cormac McGettigan may have done enough to merit a starting place.
Declan Heery, John Morgan, Shea Downey, Joseph and Patrick Finnegan, Jack Dowling, Ronan Boyle, James Smith and Ronan McGrady bring a wealth of experience to the St. Brigid’s challenge while JJ Higgins, Niall Duffy and Joe Logan have shown a maturity beyond their years.
The Musgrave Park side will start this one as slight favourites and if they can repeat their second half performance against Dunloy then a first senior title looks within their grasp.
They should be wary of a well organised and highly motivated Rossa however and I don’t think there will be too much between them in the end with the team who adapts quickest to the occasion and taking their chances claiming the honours.