The final round of group fixtures in the PTSB Junior C Championship was on a knifedge.

The St Brendan's Hurlers, sponsored by Bodibro were in 4th place in Group 2 on 3 points with today's opponents, Na Gaeil Óga in 5th on 2 points. A win or draw today for St Brendan's and another Championship Quarter Final awaits.

So, there was a lot at stake in this latest renewal of 'An Clasico Nua' at St Catherines Park in Lucan.

Eoin 'Quinn Roux' Fallon gave The Dark Force an encouraging start with a good point from 50 meters after collecting a pass from Rob ' Shane Lowry' O'Hanrahan. A NGÓ free in fell short but The Wexican Oisin Carley jumped up a meter short from goal with a super catch and clearance.

After the opening score from the home side Neon Leon Broderick made it 2 to 1 after Tom 'Cian Lynch' Kiely won a vital turnover. Despite dominating the opening 10 minutes, St Brendan's also hit 5 wides which would concern Adrian 'Cry Before Dawn' Morrissey. But Liam 'Vit Hit' Kennedy quashed those concerns after winning a turnover and shooting himself a point to make it 0-3.

Broderick made it 0-4 and his second with another long distance shot after winning a NGÓ puckout, then the home side hit a brace, the second of which was a free in from 40 meters.

NGÓ had an opportunity for goal but a brilliant hook from Jack 'The Relegator' McCarron allowed Michael 'Bruno Fernandes' Harte to unleash a clearance with a whopper of a puc which was collected by Bryan Dolan who got fouled in the process, up stepped Kiely to convert the free and a 0-5 to 0-3 scoreline, which became a brace for the home side, 0-5 and a level game.

Kennedy made it 0-6 for St Brendan's after another clearance from Harte. Michael ‘Offaly Good’ Culleton won a vital turnover and played a super ball to Pa Carey and point number 7, but St Brendan's had hit more wides, eight, than points after 20 minutes.

The referee controversially gave a point to NGÓ despite the slioter going way wide. The umpire was being totally honest and admitted the shot did go wide and the score remained 0-7 to 0-6. Another clearance by Harte was batted down to his feet, Mark 'The Edge' Kinsella ended up doing the splits when defending the slioter from the NGÓ Forwards and eventually won the free out.

Another Kiely point made it 0-8 from play from 40 meters. A free in from NGÓ was the last action where only 15 seconds of injury time and St Brendan's lead 0-8 to 0-7 at half time, but that was only one side of the story, the other side saw St Brendan's hit a whopping 11 wides.

In the second half, NGÓ took the lead with a brace of points, the second of which saw a free in whipped in goalbound, but blocked by Pa O’Dowd but worked back in and pointed.

Adrian Morrissey lambasted the forward line for being non existent. Liam 'Vit Hit' Kennedy showed Morrissey that the forwards very much existed by winning a turnover and free in, with Broderick converted and a level game again 9 points each. Both combined again with Kennedy jersey tugged and Broderick converting the free and lead back to St Brendan's 10 point to 9.

There was supposed to be thunder and lightning forecasted this morning, but that never materialized as the sun came out. And the sun was out as far as Leon Broderick was concerned as Neon completed his hat trick of points from a free in following a foul on Matthew ‘The Scholar’ McGlynn, but soon NGÓ pegged a point back 11 to 10.

That Hat Trick became a Four Timer for Broderick with yet another free in this time Eoin Corcoran was fouled. Rob Hanrahan won the NGÓ puck out and on the spot, pucked from 70 meters away for a brilliant point and a three point lead, watched on by a representative from St Sylvester’s who was here sussing out the potential Quarter Final opposition in two weeks time and the winners here will travel to Malahide.

NGÓ went on the attack, but McCarron made a brilliant hook and Carley with the clearance as the contest suddenly exploded into life. Broderick opened a four point lead with a free in after the referee gave an advantage for a jersey tug.

Another converted free in followed for the home side, but Broderick had the four point buffer back with four minutes to go with another long range point from play.

Going into the final minute, Eoin Fallon had to stretch really far to collect a pass off Eoin Corcoran, then puc over the bar as Fallon started throwing fist pumps whilst the slioter sailed between the posts, my goodness he enjoyed that!

In injury time, Matthew McGlynn put the icing on the cake and earn a trip to Malahide in two weeks time with a superb point after collecting a pass off Conor Glenham.

But the drama wasn’t over yet!

A NGÓ player was fouled close to goal, several St Brendan’s players didn’t know if it was a penalty or a free in because of the most of the NGÓ were shouting at the referee As Gaelige Amháin while most St Brendan’s players had only basic Leaving Cert Irish. Eventually it was a free in which was whipped in and Mark Kinsella batted the slioter away. However, the referee ordered a retake in which NGÓ did beat Harte for goal and a three point game, but was their enough time to snatch a draw?

There was, there was a sideline cut which NGÓ dropped in but Pa O'Dowd ensured the slioter went over the end line and wide and with that, St Brendan's had knocked Na Gaeil Óga out of the Junior C Championship in a role reversal from last year's Quarter Final.

Focus now turns to two weeks time a Championship Quarter Final against St Sylvester's, I wonder what the representative from Syl's thought of today's match?

Final score from St Catherine’s Park….

Oh, before I finish off this match report, you are probably wondering how many wides St Brendan’s hit in the second half?

The answer?

St Brendan’s 0-17 Na Gaeil Óga 1-11.