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St Brigids versus Round Towers in League Clash - Tue, 17 Aug 2004

St Brigids 3-6 Round Towers 1-11

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They say that goals win games, and that proved to be the case as the Junior 9 footballers of St. Brigid?s clinched the league title with a slender one-point victory over Round Towers last Sunday afternoon. For Brian Murphy, Niall Plunkett and Paul Whitty all found the net for the hosts at Russell Park, handing Brigid?s the narrowest of victories after their Clondalkin opponents had put it up to them for long periods of a tight contest.

A grandstand finish looked on the cards as the Saints led by just 2-5 to 0-11 with eight minutes remaining, but Whitty ? who finished the day with 1-5 in his gearbag ? maintained his composure to slot home and hand Brigids a four-point advantage with the clock running down. Matthew McCormack responded for the visitors by blasting to the net with three minutes remaining, but it proved to be too little too late and the Russell Park boys held out to clinch the victory and the league title in the process.

Brigids knew they were in for a tough afternoon from the outset as Towers raced into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead inside the opening ten minutes whilst the likes of John Dunning, Stan Kevlehan, Ian Craven and Plunkett struggled to win possession in the middle of the park. Nevertheless, the hosts battled away and responded through scores from Whitty (2) and Keith Morris, before Murphy found the top right hand corner of the Towers net in sublime fashion to put the Saints one-point up after 25 minutes (1-3 to 0-5). The game descended into something of a lull in the ensuing minutes, but Murphy almost claimed a second goal in stoppage time when he fisted inches wide. That miss was soon forgotten about, however, when Plunketts shot was deflected into the Towers net on the stroke of half-time to give Brigids a two-point lead at the turn (2-3 to 0-7).

To their credit, Towers refused to lie down, and re-created the form they showed early in the first half to hit three unanswered points and lead by 0-10 to 2-3 after 40 minutes. But just when Brigid?s needed him most Whitty came to the fore and hit 1-2 in the ensuing ten minutes, with his cool finish to find the net being the pick of the scores (3-5 to 0-10). Even then, the Clondalkin men refused to accept their fate, and ensured a tension-filled conclusion when McCormack burst the net with three minutes from time. However, Brigid?s managed to hold out, and another Whitty score steadied their nerves as they stood firm for a one-point victory.

St Brigids: David Brookes, Declan Hanley, Ciaran Byrne, Paul Brady, Ian Sheedy, John Dunning, Pierce O'Connor, Stan Kevlehan, Ian Craven, Keith Morris, Neil Plunkett, Eoin O Sullivan, Paul Whitty, Brian Murphy, Stephen Dunning.

Scorers: Paul Whitty 1-5, Brian Murphy 1-0, Neil Plunkett 1-0,  Keith Morris 0-1, Brian Murphy 1-0

Sub Used: Eoin McLoughin, Andy Kavanagh

Half Time: St Brigids 2-3 Round Towers 0-7

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