Following Wednesday evenings defeat against St Anne’s, the St Brendan’s Football 1st XV, sponsored by Dynamic Safety Solutions, could not afford to slip up this morning against a St Patricks Donabate side who occupy a place in the bottom half of Go Ahead AFL6.  

Only 15 players were available for the 1sts this morning, with The Adam ‘Wishful Thinking’ Lynch and Harry ‘1991’ Beggy picking up injuries last Wednesday, John ‘Tesla’ Tuffy and Shane ‘The Merc’ Feeney had to call up Ritchie ‘Blackmore’ O’Hara and The Banner Raiser Brian Hobbins from the 2nd XV. 

And the decision to call up Hobbins paid off big time in the 3rd minute when The Banner Raiser got the first score for The Dark Force with a goal, after a turnover from Scott ‘Too Darn Hot’ O’Rourke. 

Then St Patricks Donabate got a goal of their own when confusion amongst the St Brendan’s backs allowed the goal to be scored. A minute later, the home side took the lead with a fisted effort. 

John Tuffy was furious, but The Adventure Man Nicky McCafferty had Tuffy in a better frame of mind a minute later when converting a free in after Padraig ‘Ka Ying Rising’ Mc Kenna was dragged back when in a good position. Level game 1-1 each. 

St Brendan’s took the lead thanks to O’Rourke after receiving a brilliant diagonal ball from Scatman John Dorrian. O’Hara and Hobbins teamed up to set up Tom ‘Klaebo’ Grainger to score a brilliant two pointer from the outside of his right boot. 

After another Donabate point, St Brendan’s had to work hard to produce another scoring opportunity with all 12 available Donabate players inside the 40 meter arc. But Neon Leon Broderick found a way to pass to Scatman John Dorrian to break the resistance and finally score the point.  

I’m not sure if a corner back has ever scored a brace of points for St Brendan’s! Well it happened with Dorrian’s second point a carbon copy of his first point. O’Rourke made it 1-7 to 1-2 with another outside the boot shot over the bar. 

That lead became six points after Broderick won the Donabate kick out and played it to McKenna who got a hand on the back during his solo run. McKenna promptly converted his free in. A technical foul in the middle of the field allowed Nicky McCafferty to pop over a 20-meter free which was the last action of the first half and St Brendan’s lead 1-9 to 1-2. 

The home side started the second half brightly with a two pointer, McCafferty responded with a free in from 13 meters. Kevin ‘The Seventy Sixer’ Berry was defending heroically to prevent his marker from scoring. A fisted effort came off Berry’s head, but the referee gave a wide! 

McCafferty kept the scoreboard ticking and thought he had scored a two pointer. The referee had his two arms raised but a second later, only the one arm and a single was awarded. 

The home side went down to 14 players with a black card following a cynical foul on Scott O’Rourke, Hobbins this time took the free in and went over the bar 1-12 to 1-4. Washington Sean Whelan then saw a two pointer attempt sail wide. 

The Golden Mullet Conall Morgan was next on the scoresheet with a point from play after Stephen Durkan won a turnover. After getting a second two pointer, the home side were chasing goals and saw a shot fall inches short and cleared by McCafferty. O’Rourke was in the wars quite a lot this second half and was fouled again when in a good position to shoot. A 2nd black card was awarded to the same player who got the first black card and thus upgraded to red. McKenna converted the 13 meter free to make it 1-14 to 1-6. Another Donabate goal bound shot rattled the crossbar and went over to increase their tally to 1-7. 

Going into the final few minutes, St Brendan’s were looking for the winning line as Donabate were finishing fast. They got a third two pointer and two singles, the second of which was a free in as the contest went into the second minute of injury time. 

Clogher’s kick out was won by McKenna, who was fouled in the process, but the referee felt enough was enough and blew the final whistle. With Civil Service losing to St Maur’s, who St Brendan’s face next on June 7th, the race for the 2nd and 3rd promotion spots is back on again. 

Final Score from Donabate: St Patricks Donabate 1-11, St Brendan’s 1-14.