St Brigid’s 1-13
Western Gaels 0-9
FRANKIE DOLAN BAGGED the only goal of the game as All-Ireland champions St Brigid’s swept past Western Gaels to win this afternoon’s Roscommon senior football final at Dr Hyde Park.
St Brigid’s, managed by Mayo’s Liam McHale, claimed their fourth successive Roscommon county title and triumphed for the seventh time in nine years at this stage.
And it was Dolan, who kicked the match-winning point in Croke Park against Ballymun Kickhams on St Patrick’s Day last, who fired home the only goal of the game late on to see off the challenge of Western Gaels.
The success means St Brigid’s veteran goalkeeper Shane Curran is celebrating a county title once more at the age of 42.
And the Kiltoom-based club will be hoping to maintain their progress in Connacht, where they are also chasing a fourth successive title. Their first provincial assignment is on October 27th when they travel to face the winners of next Sunday’s Sligo county final between Tubbercurry and Tourlestrane
Western Gaels, who also lost the 2009 county final, must continue to wait for their first senior football crown after this defeat.
With established players like Cathal Cregg, Seanie McDermott and Kevin Higgins in their ranks, Western Gaels battled manfully throughout.
McDermott and Higgins were both on the mark in the first-half yet St Brigid’s lead by 0-7 to 0-6 at the break thanks to Karol Mannion’s late point.
St Brigid’s upped the ante in the second-half to move five points clear at one juncture, 0-12 to 0-7, and despite conceding a pair of points to Western Gaels, it was Dolan’s goal that proved the game’s most significant strike.
