This writer made his first 2025 appearance to Longmeadows on Monday June 23rd to watch the St Brendan’s Football 2nd XV, partnership with Stoneybatter Pride of Place face St Annes, in an anxiously awaited rematch from their famous Junior 6 All County South Championship Semi Final last October which was played during Storm Ashley. 

Before that, here is another round up of the other St Brendan’s teams in the past two weeks. 

The Football 1st XV, sponsored by Dynamic Safety Solutions lurched closer to the relegation trap door with two defeats, on June 18th, The Dark Force were beaten 3-13 to 1-10 away to Whitehall Colmcilles, in which the referee was in essence, biased towards Whitehall with dubious frees and two late goals. But in all fairness to Whitehall, they were genuinely embarrassed by the victory and even apologised to the St Brendan’s players for the performance of the referee. 

No such excuses on June 22nd in Longmeadows as AFL4 bound St Patricks Donabate cruised to a 1-20 to 0-6 victory to put pressure on Craobh Chairáin at the top of AFL5 with two games to go, Both Donabate and Craobh are level on points with 12 wins and a draw (the draw was against each other!!) to ensure that the AFL5 title race will be decided on score difference. 

For 12th place St Brendan’s we are away to 11th place Cuala on July 3rd and at home to 10th place Thomas Davis on July 6th. Two winnable matches. 

St Patricks Donabate scored a buzzer beating two pointer at the end to leapfrog Craobh at the AFL5 summit with a scoring difference of 130 compared to 128 for Craobh. 

So onto this Monday in a match played with a strong breeze, but not on the same scale as last October. The Landlord Andy Moran gave The Darkest Force off to a positive start with the opening point after a turnover from The Dream Maker Sean Dardis and final pass from John ‘I Hate Denis Bastick’ Joyce.  

Conor ‘Doyle’ Hayden had a good chance for a goal but the St Anne’s back snatched possession with Hayden threatening. The Boys from Bohernabreena levelled matters with a single point before Micheal ‘The Plaque on the Wall’ Bruen and Niall ‘The Clare Shout’ Pender combined to allow Moran with the shot and a 2 point to one lead. 

But not for long as St Annes took the lead with a 2 pointer, wind assisted blowing into the Garda Boat Club end with a free in after goalkeeper Brian ‘Livin in a Warehouse’ Howley tipped the ball over the bar. It still counted as a 2 pointer because the word ‘Directly’ was removed from the rule book regarding two pointers. 

Moran completed a hat trick of points 9:38 on the clock after a St Anne’s had a free in fall short and into the hands of Cathal ‘Patrick Mahomes’ O Donnell. Several hand passes later and Moran made it three each. However, Howley was beaten for goal and St Annes had a three point lead 1-3 to 0-3. 

O’Donnell responded for his side with a 13 meter free in after St Anne’s fell foul of the 3 up rule that is you must have 3 players in your own half at all times. Eoin ‘Quinn Roux’ Fallon won a turnover from a St Anne’s kick out and continued his run for goal after passing to Hayden. Dylan ‘Not the Galwayman’ McHugh and Dermot ‘The Intimidator’ Condron were also involved and Fallon finished the move with a point and a one point deficit again 1-3 to 0-5 after 20 minutes. 

The sides were level with three minutes to go with another O’Donnell free in after Hobbins was high tackled on the 20 meter line. Then O’Donnell give the home side the lead with a point from play after the referee gave a free in for dissent after Hobbins played the ball to O’Donnell. 0-7 to 1-3. 

The Away side then levelled matters with a long range point, probably a meter short of the 40 meter arc, but The Banner Raiser Hobbins opened his scoring account with a point following good play from Colin McGivern. It was later revealed that the St Annes point was actually a two pointer, despite the referee raising one arm at the time, so at half time and like the fridge in Billy Kelly’s kitchen, there’s nothing in it 0-8 to 1-5. 

It took 9 minutes for the first score of the second half, despite 4 consecutive St Annes wides, it was Andy The Landlord Moran with the score following good McGivern play. The Gurteen Gooch Paddy McGuinn was playing a blinder at full back and blocked a goal bound St Annes shot to maintain the St Brendan’s lead. 

A shot from St Anne’s levelled matters again, but Brian Hobbins judged the wind perfectly to point St Brendan’s back into the lead, after good play from fellow Clareman Pender and Darren ‘The Ballad’ Naughton. Moran saw a two pointer sail wide after winning the kick out and shot on the spot. 

But Moran did get a single and a two point lead and several turnovers from both sides in a crazy passage of play. St Annes made it 0-11 to 1-7 as Alan ‘Mack Hansen’ Pierce came on as a substitute in place of Condron and one senses that Pierce has some unfinished business from last October. 

Pierce’s impact was immediate and won the St Anne’s kick out which resulted in Moran hitting the second of his brace 0-12 to 1-7. Eoin Fallon got his pocket pinched when in a good position to shoot. 

St Brendan’s opened a two point going into the final 5 minutes with Brian Hobbins judging the wind perfectly to get a single point. In the final minute, St Brendan’s fell foul of the 3 up rule and St Anne’s managed to get the equalising score. 

Then as the hooter sounded for the end of the 30 minutes, St Anne’s had possession and their forward unleashed his inner Ciaran Moore to kick the ball over the bar and the win for his side and break The Darkest Forces hearts. 

Shane Feeney could not fault the players for their efforts but need to get at least one more win to avoid a relegation play off. 

Final Score from Longmeadows, St Brendan’s 0-13, St Annes’ 1-11.