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St.Brigid’s Minors take Leinster Title
St. Brigid’s 2-6 Ashbourne 1-8

Leinster is the biggest province so it is a rare thing for a Leinster Final in a sport like Gaelic Football – played in every nook and cranny of the country – to throw up a virtual local derby. That was the case in the recent Leinster minor final as St.Brigid’s minors attempted to emulate the achievements of the club’s seniors in 2003 in being crowned provincial champions. With the Dublin-Meath rivalry also in the mix for good measure it was a game made for a one-point margin and so it proved with St.Brigid’s emerging victorious over Ashbourne after an afternoon of sawying fortunes. To the victor the spoils

The St.Brigid’s goalkeeper Jamie Philips put on his own ‘Late Late Show’ with added-time heroics as his spectacular double save denied Ashbourne. This was part of a major defensive effort from Brigid’s in the final quarter as the Meath club piled on the pressure. Stern defending in the full back line from Alan McCarrick, Ryan McAnerin and Cathal Doyle was instrumental in bringing the Leinster Championship trophy back to Russell Park.

A large crowd gathered in Eire Og's Grounds in Carlow eagerly awaiting this clash between back-to-back Meath Minor Champions and the Dublin Champions. St. Brigid’s opened the game well with the aid of the wind as Daire Plunkett pointed within three minutes.

Ashbourne were soon level when wing-forward Eric Callaghan fired over a stylish point from the left. Aodhan McEnerney put Brigid’s back ahead with a beautiful point after Cian Mullins lofted in a superb placed ball. Daire Plunkett extended Brigid’s lead with a fine individual goal, beating two men before sending an unstoppable shot into the top right hand corner giving the Dublin champions a relatively comfortable lead in the early stages.

It was all one way traffic at this point with Ashbourne were under severe pressure. McEnerney soon added another goal after a high ball into the Ashbourne full back line was broken by Philip Carroll. McEnerney pounced to finish to the net. Leading 2-2 to 0-1 after eighteen minutes, it looked even at that stage that it might be an unassailable lead for Brigid’s but Ashbourne showed typical Meath grit and character to fight back into this game.

Full-forward Steven Kavanagh blasted home a goal for Ashbourne from close range. St. Brigid’s kept fighting and Paul Clerkin was rewarded for his hard work when he dispossessed Ashbourne corner back Daryl Lawlor and fire over for a point. Philip Carroll added another point when his goal bound shot skimmed the bar for a point. Ashbourne hit back when their superb centre-back David Morgan pointed to leave the score 2-4 to 1-2 in favour of Brigid’s at the break.

The wind strengthened in the second half as Ashbourne had the benefit of the elements and it was clear that Brigid’s would face an onslaught in the second-half. Brigid’s opened the second-half as they opened the first when Paul Clerkin ended a fine move when swinging over a point off his left. Nobody would have thought this at that stage, but this was to be their last point until injury-time. Ashbourne took the fight to the Dublin side with the aid of the wind and began to get the upper-hand.

Five unanswered points from Ashbourne left one point between the sides with six minutes remaining. Ashbourne looked the likely winner but the St Brigid’s defence fought manfully and superb blocks from Alan McCarrick and Cian Mullins denied Ashourne.

Cathal Doyle and captain Niall Davey were also superb. The game was really in the melting point with the game nearing injury-time when Ashbourne counter attacked but Davey intercepted an Ashbourne pass to feed Cian Mullins who strode forward to fire over from 35 yards out. Entering injury-time the Leinster Championship looked like it was heading to Russell Park but Ashbourne never gave up and cut through the Brigid’s defence.

Ashbourne were bearing down on goal when an inspired Jamie Philips blocked a goal-bound shot. Philips was back on his feet to tip another shot onto the cross bar. Ashbourne didn't give up as they soon reduced the Brigid’s lead to one point with a fisted effort. It was all too late as Brigid’s were crowned Leinster Champions.

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