Fired up St Brigid's get away for convincing win with much improved second half display

A FIRED up, very highly motivated St Brigid's team got away for a convincing, surprisingly easy win over a very disappointing Ferbane with a much improved second half in Daingean on Friday evening.

Tullamore Court Hotel Intermediate Football Championship semi-final

St Brigid's 1-12

Ferbane 0-6

1-4 to 0-3 ahead at half time, the Croghan men played way more intelligently in the second half to book their berth in the Intermediate Football Championship final against Tullamore or Raheen. They were the better team the whole way through but a repeat of last year's semi-final loss to Ballinagar loomed large in the first half when they missed a host of tap over opportunities.

Ballinagar overwhelmed them late on last year in Rhode but St Brigid's were way more clinical and incisive in the second half as they outscored them by 0-8 to 0-3 for a very good win. A very solid defensive display laid the foundation for St Brigid's win and the statistic that all six of Ferbane points came from Joe Maher frees is both a glowing endorsement of the way the winners' defended, a damning indictment of the way the losers' attacked.

Ferbane will be bitterly disappointed at the way they performed here. With a smattering of real senior experience in their team, particularly with Shane Nally, David Kelly and Joe Maher, Ferbane looked decent on paper but this display was anything but decent and they were never at the races. Ferbane had showed where their focus was by not playing a recent Offaly senior hurler Paddy Clancy – Clancy had played at this grade since returning from Australia but it was clear that the seniors wanted him and he will feature in Ferbane's quarter-final against Shamrocks on Sunday. That was of course the right decision by a senior club but it also greatly reduced their intermediate prospects.

Joe Maher's right leg was heavily bandaged with the result that he could not move as well as normally while St Brigid's worked very hard at restricting his shots off his dominant left foot. Having lost to Ferbane in the group, conceding a handful of two pointers, St Brigid's were determined that there would be no repeat and they succeeded spectacularly in this. It was just such a competent, solid defensive display and that is the reason they are now in the final.

In the first half, St Brigid's seemed hell-bent on throwing it away. They spurned several handy point chances, taking too much out of the ball – that extra solo when there was no need or that extra pass when there was a handy point on offering. They tried to walk the ball into the net and had four attempts blocked down before Alan Scally converted a fourth minute free.

It continued on in this vein and it meant that St Brigid's 1-4 to 0-3 interval lead in no way reflected how superior they had been in the first half. Both sets of forward misfired spectacularly in the first half. No forward got a score from play and there was only one point from play, an 11^th minute one from St Brigid's centre back Liam Cocoman.

Ferbane lived on scraps with a two point Joe Maher free getting them going. They were level coming up to half time and it would have been a disaster for St Brigid's had it stayed that way but they struck a late 1-1. The goal was a 28^th minute penalty from the veteran Bobby Troy after Alan Scally was fouled and Scally's free gave them that four point lead and a significant enough foothold.

From the moment, Ben Kennedy became the first St Brigid's forward to score from play in the 35^th minute, it was clear that St Brigid's would win. They continued to defend well but were way more menacing when attacking. Instead of going for goals, they now turned down possible openings and taking the simple point in a dramatic reversal of what they had been doing in the first half. Alan Scally, Kennedy again, Thomas Mooney and Dillon Donoghue all pointed from play as St Brigid's opened up a ten point 1-10 to 0-3 lead.

Ferbane were playing nowhere near well enough to haul that in and looked increasingly mediocre as it wore on. In a very tame closing quarter, Ferbane managed three Joe Maher frees and while St Brigid's only added two points, they had the job done and made sure that Ferbane never got in close enough to threaten goals.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Alan Scally (St Brigid's): In a way, a defender should be selected as it takes a serious defensive performance to keep a side scoreless. St Brigid's were collectively excellent here with Liam Cocoman superbly manning the fort from centre back. Elsewhere St Brigid's important players performed. Former county player Cian Donoghue put in a terrific shift at midfield and Dan Molloy moved beautifully at times, looking very good when carrying the ball forward.

Ben Kennedy had a fantastic second half but the choice is Alan Scally. He was very effective at midfield and then full forward when moved in for the second half. He converted frees, one of them when he was fouled following a spectacular catch in the second half, he got a point from play, fielded well and moved the ball on effectively in a really solid display.

Shane Nally was Ferbane's best player on a day when it just didn't happen for them.

THE SCORERS

St Brigid's: Alan Scally 0-4 (1f), Bobby Troy 1-1 (penalty and free), Ben Kennedy 0-2, Liam Cocoman, Dillon Donoghue, Cian Donoghue, Dan Molloy (f) and Thomas Mooney 0-1 each.

Ferbane: Joe Maher 0-6 (1 x 2pf, 4f).

THE TEAMS

ST BRIGID'S: Liam Fox; Conor Davidson, Sean Briody, William Molloy; Ronan Swords, Liam Cocoman, Dillon Donoghue; Cian Donoghue, Alan Scally; Ben Kennedy, Dan Molloy, Evan Rigney; Thomas Mooney, Bobby Troy, Cameron Egan. Subs – James Lynch for Egan, inj. (22m), Ethan Hannon for Troy (53m), Conor Casey for Dillon Donoghue (55m), Aaron Kennedy for Kennedy (58m), David Boland for Rigney (59m).

FERBANE: David Dunican; Rory O'Neill, Liam Browne, Saran Flynn; Colin Egan, Shane Nally, Michael Spillane; David Kelly, Conor Kenny; Gavin Egan, Bernard Corcoran, Daniel Kelly; Sean Flynn, Joe Maher, Donal Flynn. Subs – Brian Grehan for Donal Flynn (39m), Paddy Moore for Daniel Kelly (41m), George Digan for Sean Flynn (56m).

Referee – Adam Kinahan, Clodiagh Gaels.

REFEREE WATCH

Adam Kinahan refereed it very well and was not a factor in the result.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Ben Kennedy's 35^th minute point was significant for three reasons.

1 – It was a breathtaking score as he carried the ball from deep in defence, raced forward, interchanged passes and curled over a beaut.

2 – It was the first score from play from a St Brigid's forward, it gave them a 1-5 to 0-3 lead and there was a noticeable pick up all over the field after it.

3 – Most importantly, it provided put the seal on a memorable return to action by this gifted forward. He had played in the last game and was full of confidence and running in the second half here. Kennedy had to do a lot of work to get back after a horrific broken leg in an unfortunate work accident over a year ago and he will get better and better.

VENUE WATCH

Daingean have carried out terrific work on upgrading their facilities in recent years and the provision of floodlights is another great asset for them, as well as Offaly GAA. They are very good lights and as usual, the club managed this fixture very professionally.

WHAT'S NEXT

St Brigid's go on to the final in two weeks time.

STATISTICS

Wides: Ferbane – 6 (2 in first half); St Brigid's – 7 (2 in first half half).
Yellow cards: St Brigid's – 1 (Ben Kennedy); Ferbane – 2 (Liam Browne and Joe Maher).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0