Brannigan is the hero as St Michael’s snatch late draw

Barna 0-10

St Michael’s 1-7

Pádraic Ó Ciardha at Pearse Stadium

A goal with virtually the last kick of the game saw St Michael’s stay unbeaten after two games in Group A of this year’s senior football championship after Liam Brannigan’s late strike salvaged a draw for the city side.

Barna looked they had done just enough to take victory when a Ryan Folan free put them 0-10 to 0-7 ahead in the 63rd minute but there was still time for some late drama. St Michael’s claimed possession from the resulting kickout and Eoin Day launched a diagonal pass in towards the square. With no one able to get a clean catch on it, the ball fell to Liam Brannigan who finished low and hard to send the St Michael’s crowd into raptures.

It was gut wrenching score to concede from a Barna standpoint. Cossie Gilmore’s side had probably done just enough to edge this admittedly low-quality encounter, but they can only blame themselves after they failed to deal with a route-one attack.

St. Michael’s are one of the beneficiaries of the early end to the Galway hurlers’ summer and they had John Hanbury available to line out at corner back. Hanbury’s side made the brighter start and were on the scoreboard inside the opening 20 seconds, Frank Daly fisting the ball over after Eddie Hoare had won the throw-in.

The city side were dealt an early blow, however, when Daly was forced off through injury inside 10 minutes by which time Barna had taken the lead. Donal Folan opened their account with a neat effort from the right wing before Conor Keenan popped up with an equally impressive score a couple of minutes later.

The game as a whole was pockmarked by poor shooting and it took until midway through the half for the next bit of noteworthy play when St Michael’s were awarded a penalty after Eoin Day was fouled in the square. Keith Ward stepped up to take the kick but his effort was poorly struck and easily saved by James Keane in goal.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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