ST. BRIGID’S WRAPPED up a historic Roscommon five-in-a-row with a comprehensive 14 point win over St. Faithleach’s at Dr. Hyde Park.
Last year’s All-Ireland club champions were inspired by 36-year-old veteran Frankie Dolan, who scored 1-8 in a stunning man-of-the-match performance. Dolan’s early goal helped them to a 1-7 to 0-1 interval lead after they played with a strong breeze in the first half.
St. Faithleach’s improved after the break and Ciaran Murtagh and Aidan Dooney kicked some impressive scores, but county man Senan Kilbride sealed the emphatic win with two second half goals.
St. Brigid’s will play Ballintubber in what will be an intriguing Connacht club championship semi-final on 9 November.
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Whoever reckoned the formbook goes out the window in derby games must not have been in Letterkenny this afternoon as Glenswilly hammered neighbours Termon in the quarter-final of RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta Donegal SFC.
Last year’s champions and Ulster club finalists laid down their marker early in their 3-9 to 0-4 win with Darren McGinley scoring two first half goals to squeeze the life out of the underdogs.
McGinley beat Michael Boyle, the Termon goalkeeper, to the rebound after his first effort squirmed off the crossbar on 11 minutes and seven minutes later slotted from the ground when found in space by Michael Murphy.
Donegal captain Murphy enjoyed a leisurely afternoon as he kicked a free and worked from deep as Gary McFadden, with four scores, and Ciaran Bonner’s brace saw the holders through. Leon Kelly tucked home a pass from Brian Farrelly in the last minute for Glenswilly’s third goal.
Although Anthony McGrenra of Termon was given a straight red for a trip and Glenswilly’s Ruairí Crawford received his marching orders for two yellow cards, the contest was in no way explosive.
Gary McDaid’s side, this coming Sunday, will now face whoever comes through Wednesday night’s quarter-final replay between Naomh Conaill of Glenties and Ardara, who drew 0-12 to 1-9 on Saturday.
Tonight, St Michael’s from Dunfanaghy made the perfect start when Brian McLaughlin opened the scoring with a goal on just 40 seconds against Dungloe in their 1-13 to 0-10 win.
That proved to be a solid foundation and Christy Toye and Colm McFadden, the scorer of five points, kept the scoreboard ticking over.
St Michael’s continue their search for a first ever senior title with a semi-final with a semi-final tie against St Eunan’s from Letterkenny next Saturday night in Ballybofey. Maxi Curran’s St Eunan’s were completely dominant in their 2-10 to 0-7 win over Four Masters on Saturday with Rory Carr and Darragh Mulgrew the goalscorers.
-Additional reporting by Kevin O’Brien