Referee: Liam O’Neill
The Brides started with a point in the first passage of play from Kevin Kirk. Roche replied with a point on the 7th minute through a Robert O’Hanlon converted 30m free and then tagged on three unanswered points from play. The first was an excellent 35 metre point on the run from Gerry Murphy on the 8th minute. This was followed by a smart point from Barry O’Hare from the left corner on the 11th minute. Then from the kick-out Duane Callan popped over another long range point which was answered by Stephen Hillard with a fisted point. But Callan repeated his feat with another point on the 18th minute after good passes from Martin Carroll and Philip Quinn and onto him in a central position 45 meters out from goal. Gerry Murphy rattled two more long range points to show Roche 7 points to 2 in front and they appeared to be able to score from any position and at will.
But this dominance was halted with an injury to Murphy which required his retiring from the play, being replaced by Liam Carthy. Roche took time to recover from Murphy’s absence and a number of refereeing decisions which, to most observers and players fell the wrong way. A free on a Roche player around the midfield was not awarded and play moved into the Roche goal area where a free in was awarded, rather than a free out. This gave the Brides an undeserved pointed free from 13 metres on the 25th minute. Sean O’Hare then made a fine save from Kevin Kirk who was bearing down on goal following a fine passing movement. To add insult to injury following the last Brides pointed free a penalty was award against Sean O’Hare for a foot-block, it was a very dubious decision. Raymond Kelly pulled the Brides to within a point of Roche with the conversion of the spot kick. The game was levelled at 1-4 to 0-7 after Kevin Kirk scored his second point a minute into extra time in the first half. But Barry O’Hare sent Roche in at half time a point up when he scored a 20 metre free which he had missed from 40 metres but was given a second chance from the closer distance after an infringement by a Brides player facing the free. This slim half time lead looked an unlikely possibility after the events and shift in control of play in the later 15 minutes of the half.
From the restart the Brides missed what could have been a goal chance that slipped past the upright with the Roche defence at sea. Darren McConnon pushed Roche two ahead with a very good point from play two minutes into the second half. Colin Nally replied for the Brides with a good point from 25 metres after following play from his half back position.
Dermot Craven withdrew from the game due to injury, to be replaced by Niall Treanor and Roche made some positional changes in defence. Roche edged further ahead through a good point from play and a pointed 20 metre free, both from Barry O’Hare. But Roche were rattled by a fine Kevin Kirk goal after very slack marking by the Roche defence to bring the score level at 2-5 to 0-11 points. Enda Murphy joined the game for Brian McGuinness who had slowed up after a knock. The Roche management invoked more positional changes to shore up the gaps that the Brides had found; Dan O’Connell to centre forward, David Quigley to fullback, Harry O’Connell to centre half but it did not prevent the Brides regaining the lead. The Brides jumped three points ahead with a goal from Mark Hoey, a sub for the Brides, who raced through the absent Roche defence and crashed to the net for what looked like the crucial score of the match; the Brides were on top and cruising on a scoreline of 3-5 to 0-11. But little did Hoey or his team notice the movement of Dan O’Connell to the forty or his intentions. Nor did they believe that they would fail to register another score, despite having many ‘certain’ chances to do so, for the remaining eight minutes of the half plus 6 minutes extra time. On the 23rd minute with his team looking beaten O’Connell scored a glorious goal from all of 30 metres out, from his first posturing after collecting the ball on the ‘forty’ he displayed the signs of something special being conjured. He let fly a drop-kick straight to the net! The Brides management moved with their main trump card in the shape of Aaron Hoey into the game as a sub, his first task to attempt a free from the 45, but it tailed wide. His team had numerous further wides which included two by Hoey, all of which were very scoreable. But Dan popped up again on the 35th minute of the half with his first point of the match followed by Barry O’Hare’s 5th point of the match in the final attack of the game to push Roche two clear on a scoreline of Roche 1-13 St.Brides 3-5 and secure the win.
Roche: Sean O’Hare, Joseph Bishop, Harry O’Connell, Brian McGuinness, Duane Callan (2pts), Dermot Craven, Sean Kirk, Martin Carroll, Darren McConnon (1pt), Philip Quinn, David Quigley, Robert O’Hanlon (1pt), Barry O’Hare (5pts), Dan O’Connell (1-1), Gerry Murphy (3pts). Subs used Liam Carthy, Niall Treanor, Enda Murphy.
Brides scores: Kevin Kirk 1-3, Stephen Hillard 1pt, Raymond Kelly 1gl, Colin McNally 1pt, Mark Hoey 1gl.