St Brigid’s 1-16 

Scotstown 1-12

TWO YEARS AFTER they watched the momentum slip from their hands into the hands of Conor Glass and Glen, St Brigid’s have made it back to the All-Ireland final, where they play Dingle on 18 January.

They did so by a performance of guts and courage and no little guile.

Any team looking to beat Scotstown must seek a way to hammer the hammer, and that means finding a plan for Rory Beggan, the 11-point hero of the Ulster final win over Kilcoo.

Throughout the entire game, St Brigid’s did not concede one foul to give Beggan a chance at a two-point free. Or a shot from play.

What’s more, they spooked him by allowing him to have possession in the harmless areas, and then had him well-marked when he came into range.

From the tee, they also spooked him and there was a period when his forays forward were causing alarm for Scotstown; in particular when Ben O’Carroll attempted a shot at an empty net that Beggan somehow got back to palm away, only for Paul McGrath to stick the chance over.

Brigid’s first score of the game came with a lovely bit of interplay between the impressive Ruaidhrí Fallon and Ciarán Sugrue, Brian Derwin making use of the space to plant his shot into the postage stamp corner of Beggan’s goal.

Paul McGrath and Eddie Nolan squeeze out Max Maguire. ©INPHOJames Crombie ©INPHOJames Crombie

Scotstown got back level when their heavy-metal approach to Conor Carroll’s kickout gained some reward, three Scotstown players managing to turn the ball over. A flighted Mattie Maguire ball into Jack McCarron later and the ball was in the net.

As close as it was, the last six minutes featured Brigid’s going into overdrive with 0-5 unanswered, the highlight being Bobby Nugent’s massive kick for a two-pointer to send the Connacht champions in to the break 1-10 to 1-6 ahead.

Brigid’s needed that platform, and they broke even in the third quarter also, before they finished the period with a flourish. Kieran Hughes tried to find Ryan O’Toole, who was immediately feasted upon by Ciarán Sugrue who turned the ball over for Brigid’s. It resulted in a free, and Bobby Nugent stepped up to claim a two-point free with his second orange flag of the day. It was some lift for Brigid’s, who watched their defensive linchpin Brian Stack suffer a horrendous fall when being challenged for his own goalkeeper’s kickout by Beggan.

In the final quarter, Scotstown swamped St Brigid’s. They scored just 0-3 however, and left five wides behind them, two of them good chances for goal. Conor Carroll foiled Shane Carey’s goal attempt, with Ruaidhrí Fallon then stopping Darren Hughes’ follow-up. Jack McCarron’s shot was then saved by Brigid’s full-back Seán Trundle, before Beggan of all people dropped the ’45’ short.

The Roscommon men survived all of that and kept going, with Charlie O’Carroll’s late point the clincher.  

Scorers for St Brigid’s: Bobby Nugent 0-7 (1x2pt, 1x2pt free, 0-2f), Brian Derwin 1-0. Paul McGrath 0-2, Conor Hand 0-2 (1x2pt), Ruaidhrí Fallon, Eddie Nolan, Ciarán Sugrue, Ben O’Carroll, Charlie O’Carroll 0-1 each.

Scorers for Scotstown: Jack McCarron 1-3 (0-1 free), Francis Maguire 0-3 (1x2pt), Micheál McCarville 0-2, Nicky Sherlock, Max Maguire 0-1 each, Shane Carey 0-1 (1 free), Rory Beggan 0-1 (1x’45).

St Brigid’s

1. Conor Carroll

25. Pearse Frost 3. Seán Trundle 4. Robbie Dolan

5. Ruadhrí Fallon 6. Brian Stack 7. Paul McGrath

8. Shane Cunnane 9. Eddie Nolan

10. Ciarán Sugrue 11. Conor Hand 12. Bobby Nugent

13. Ben O’Carroll 18. Mark Daly 15. Brian Derwin

Subs:

19. Ronan Stack for Daly (32m)

20. Charlie O’Carroll for Ben O’Carroll (49m)

14. Senan Kilbride for Fallon (56m)

Scotstown

1. Rory Beggan

19. Ryan O’Toole 5. Donnchadh Connolly 4. Darragh Murray

26. Nicky Sherlock 6. Damien McArdle 23. Kieran Hughes

14. Darren Hughes 9. Gavin McPhillips

10. Max Maguire 11. Shane Carey 8. Micheál McCarville

22. Mattie Maguire 15. Jack McCarron 24. Francis Maguire

Subs:

13. Conor McCarthy for Sherlock (HT)

20. Tommy Mallen for Mattie Maguire (46m)

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Sligo)

Written by Declan Bogue and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.