After two close away defeats, 1-11 to 0-10 against Round Towers Clondalkin on May 26th, and 1-13 to 1-14 against Cuala on June 9th, but in between recorded a 2-11 to 1-12 victory over St Patrick's Donabate, The St Brendan’s Football 1st XV, sponsored by Dynamic Safety Solutions went into the Round 13 fixture against Raheny, knowing a win is a must to avoid relegation with the bottom three to go down.
But 6:30 gone into the game in Longmeadows and Raheny rushed into a 1-3 to no score lead.
A Long evening waited for The Dark Force.
Or was it?
Remarkably, St Brendan’s started the resurgence when a Advance Mark from The Return of The Mack Cillian Morrisson, yielded the first point of the game for the home side.
Morrisson made it a brace after a turnover from Conor Hallissey and pass to Niall Pender and onto Andy ‘The Kei Truck’ Kelly and finally Morrisson with the shot from the outside of the right boot.
Pender made it 0-3 with a point from 35 meters out thanks to a John Burns Mark and Kelly final pass. 10:50 gone and Morrisson hit his 3rd point following a super block from Kevin ‘76’ Berry and final pass from Diarmuid ‘Dempsey’ Cooney. Soon that became 0-4 for the Donegal man with a free in after the referee gave advantage on a jersey tug on Ritchie ‘Blackmore’ O’Hara.
Donal Clarke levelled matters with a super point from play and subsequent fist pump celebration, with Free Now Franklin O’Reilly starting the move from a 13-meter turnover.
18 minutes gone and St Brendan’s took a surprise lead thanks to Pender with a point from play, following a turnover from The Longford Leader John Burns.
The Dublin 5 outfit woke up from their mid match slumber to level the match with a free in, But the Golden Mullet Conall Horgan ensured the half time lead for St Brendan’s with a point from play.
Half Time Score St Brendan’s 0-8 Raheny 1-4.
In the second half and The Longford Leader John Burns opened a two point lead with a point from play after a long ball in from The Castlebar Mitchell Colm Harte. That became a three point lead thanks to a free in from Cillian Morrison, made easier when the free was bought forward 10 meters.
Another Raheny point made it 10 points to 1-5. The 11th St Brendan’s point had Made in Co Longford written all over it, Cooney with the final pass and Burns with the point 0-11 to 1-6 after another Raheny free in after Burns point.
10 minutes to go and the away side had the contest level with a free in and a point from play. 5 minutes later Raheny retook the lead for the first time since the 16th minute with a point from play.
A Brendan’s point bid fell short and worked upfield and resulted in the game winning goal.
An injury time free in from Niall McDermott was not enough and St Brendan’s slumped to an 8th AFL5 defeat to leave the team 11th in the table with 2 games to go against 10th place Templeogue Synge Street this Sunday the 23rd, and bottom side Wanderers on July 2nd.
Final score from Longmeadows St Brendan’s 0-13 Raheny 2-9.
Meanwhile on Thursday, The St Brendan’s 2nd XV ,plans to give Australia bound James McGee the perfect send off were thwarted when St Patrick’s Donabate were unable to field a team .
Like the 1sts, the 2nds, in partnership with Stoneybatter Pride of Place also had a loss, win, loss in their last three fixtures, losing 2-10 to 2-6 against St Colmcilles on May 27th, defeating Naomh Barróg 1-10 to 1-9 on June 6th but lost 2-20 to 0-8 away to Garristown on June 10th.
St Brendan’s GAA would like to wish James McGee the best of luck on his new life in Australia.
