Pearses stun Brigid's as Roscommon Gaels return to last four at Boyle's expense

Another day of drama in the Roscommon Senior Football Championship has seen beaten All-Ireland club finalists, St. Brigid’s, dethroned by 2021 Connacht champions, Pádraig Pearses, while Roscommon Gaels are back in the semi-finals, thanks to Ryan Conlon’s goal against Boyle.

The mouthwatering clash of Brigid’s and Pearses in Dr. Hyde Park, incredibly, became the second of this weekend’s quarter-finals to go to extra time.

St. Brigid’s, who were missing Brian Derwin and Ben O’Carroll, recovered from a poor start to lead by 0-10 to 0-7 with eight minutes remaining.

But Pearses reeled them in with points from Paul Carey (free), Niall Carty and Declan Kenny to bring the sides level and send the game in front of the TG4 cameras to extra time.

Pearses opened up a two-point lead, 0-13 to 0-11, at the end of the first period of extra time, and although Brigid’s got it back to a one-point game, Declan Kenny’s late free procured a 0-15 to 0-13 victory for Frank Canning’s men to blow the race for the Fahey Cup wide open.

Pádraig Pearses will now meet St. Faithleach’s in the last four.

In today’s earlier game, it felt like the end of an era for Boyle when they were edged out by Roscommon Gaels, 1-9 to 0-9, at Strokestown.

Apart from a ten-minute spell midway through the second half when Boyle kicked five quick points to get themselves back into contention, a younger, hungrier Roscommon Gaels team were the better side and deserved their victory.

Daire Cregg brought Boyle level, 0-2 apiece, after 11 minutes but a Ryan Conon point was followed by a match-defining goal by the same player.

At the midway mark, the Gaels were 1-4 to 0-3 ahead, and a hat-trick of scores from Peter Gillooly, Cian Connolly and Mark Purcell (’45) left them in a great position.

But Boyle suddenly woke up as Cian McKeon (2), Donie Smith (free), Cathal McKeon and Niall O’Donnell (free) rattled off five points on the bounce in jig time.

But that’s as close as they got as a free from Mark Purcell and a point from play by Cian Connolly saw Mark Dowd’s side reach the last four where will meet Michael Glaveys.

In this afternoon’s intermediate football championship quarter-finals, Fuerty progressed to the last four with a routine 1-14 to 0-8 over Kilbride at Ballyforan.

Fuerty were 0-8 to 0-3 ahead at half time, and Mark Ward’s second-half goal set up a semi-final meeting against Strokestown.

Éire Óg recovered from conceding an early goal to comfortably get the better of Shannon Gaels on a scoreline of 2-11 to 1-7 at Enfield.

Evan Corcoran goaled for Shannon Gaels in the seventh minute, but that’s as good as it got for the North Roscommon men.

Éire Óg quickly found their stride with Conor Cox bagging two goals to hand his side a 2-7 to 1-3 interval lead.

Scores dried up in the second half although Shannon Gaels did improve in the final quarter, but the beaten finalists in 2022 and 2023 eased their way into the semi-finals where they will meet in-form Elphin in what is a repeat of last year’s last four clash, which Éire Óg won.

St. Michael’s produced a superb second-half performance to relegate St. Croan’s to the Junior A Football Championship in their intermediate relegation play-off at Ballinameen.

Goals from Richard Thompson, Ross Timothy and Dan Malone handed Croan’s a 3-7 to 0-9 interval lead. But St. Michael’s turned the tables in spectacular style after the break to prevail by 1-18 to 3-11, thanks to Brian Reynolds' 56th minute goal and a late free from Fiachra Henry to confirm intermediate championship football in the parish of Ardcarne for 2025.

*Reports from all this weekend's games in Tuesday’s bumper 32-page Roscommon Herald sports section.

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