Match Report - St Brendan's v St Josephs

12 May 2013

Pitch 1 in Greenford was the location for this Division 2 Football League game. St. Joseph's stepped out to face the Senior Championship side, St. Brendan's, for a 2pm throw-in. The Joes were playing uphill and into a very stiff breeze, which became very apparent in the first 12 to 15 minutes. St. Brendan's came out hard and took full advantage of a telling tailwind, rattling off six points without reply; three of which came from some excellent football and three from frees, after some persistent fouling by the Joes.

The Joes' spirit, which has been ever-present so far this year, eventually started to shine through, once they settled into the game. Instead of dropping their heads, they began to take control, particularly, in the middle of the field, with some excellent fielding from Shane McCauley and support play by half-forward, Mark McNulty. The Joes first score came from a free, on the right, by McNulty, after a cynical foul by St. Brendan's Sharkey on Joes corner-forward, Michael Colleran. A point for the Joes and a yellow card for Sharkey being the result.

The Joes really started moving the ball well now, with the midfield pairing of Declan Kilcoyne and McCauley dictating the play. Kilcoyne found himself at the end of a fine passage of handling and short ball to confidently stroke the ball over the bar. The resulting kick-out found its way to the Joes again, where wing half-forward, Kyle Mongan, stepped up to the plate to slot the ball over the bar under pressure from the Brendan's defence. The Brendan's could not get a grip of the ball at this stage, with McCauley fielding the high kick-out again, and charging down the middle to strike the ball from 40 yards to put just two between the sides.

Some jostling inside the Brendan's half gave Paddy Gervin his chance to get on the score sheet, with a well-taken spot-kick, to leave just the minimum between the two teams. The Brendan's maintained their composure, however, and were back on the score sheet, with a fine point from a charge down the wing. The Joes responded well, working the ball up the midfield, through Conor Hallissey's fine kick-out, the ever-present McNulty and a confident finish from Mongan. Another free from the trusty left peg of McNulty levelled the scoring at 0-7 all with five to play in the half. Séan Lacey then put the Joes ahead, with a fine score from play. The Brendan's had the last say of the half, with a pointed free and a fine score from play, to leave the teams 0-9 to 0-8 at half-time.

The second-half saw the wind die a little and a rampant Brendan's come off the sidelines. The half-time talk must have been stern, as the Brendan's shocked the Joes with a goal and two points in the space of the first six minutes. The Joes, however, did not drop and again saw themselves on the verge of a resurgent comeback. McCauley was still in command in the middle, fetching another pin-point Hallissey kick-out, to work the ball through McNulty, to Lacey, who hit the back of the net from the tightest of angles. McNulty scored two more fine pointed frees, to leave the score 1-11 to 1-10, in the Brendan's favour. Brendan's were playing well now, with everything coming through their centre half-forward. Some fine finishing saw them score three more points, including one free, without reply. The last two scores of the game for the Joes came from a free by Paddy Gervin and a great point from play off the boot of Kyle Mongan. The match fitness of the Brendan's was becoming apparent now, having been playing since mid-January, or so, and they rattled-off the last three points of the game. It was only the fine hands of Joes' 'keeper, Conor Hallissey, that denied the Brendan's a second goal in the dying minutes of the game, to leave the score 1-17 to 1-12.

The Joes can take lots of positives out of another solid performance, with every player, from goalkeeper to corner-forward, rallying to the very end. Some fine defensive performances from Aodhán Reaney, Mark Killeen, Dara Walsh and Tom Foley kept the Joes well in the game, right up until the last ten minutes. Donal Coppinger (on his birthday) had a fine performance at corner-back, as did Alan Armstrong at full-back. Other solid performances came from Aaron Conlan, at full-forward, and one of St. Joseph's longest-serving members, Michael Colleran. The day was definitely a sad day for St. Joseph's, as it was the last game in the Blue and White for Mickey, who is leaving London for pastures new in Canada. Mickey has given years of contribution and loyal commitment to the Joes and London GAA over a long and successful career. Hopefully, we will see Mickey back down Perivale-way in the future!

Team for St. Joseph's: Hallissey, Conor; Walsh, Dara; Armstrong, Alan; Coppinger, Donal; Reaney, Aodhán; Killeen, Mark; Foley, Tom; McCauley, Shane (0-1); Kilcoyne, Declan (0-1); Mongan, Kyle (0-3); McNulty, Mark (0-4; 4f); Gervin, Paddy (0-2; 2f); Lacey, Séan (1-1); Conlan, Aaron; Colleran, Michael
Substitutes: Hanily, Micheal for Conlan, Aaron