Kilbride recovered well from a bad start in the opening half to match St Brigid’s of Offaly in the second half of the Leinster club intermediate football championship at O’Connor Park, Tullamore on Sunday. The red and green men found themselves in arrears by 1-4 to 0-0 at the end of the first quarter. Offaly player Kenneth Casey was the chief architect of these scores as he had the ball in the Kilbride net after two minutes. Seamus Gray opened the scoring for the visitors and added a second, and full forward Pauric Nolan made it three at the break, however St Brigid’s were 0-8 clear 1-8 to 0-3. Kilbride didn’t take this lying down, and rallied the troops in the second half pinning the Offaly representatives back in their own half. Lady luck wasn’t with the Kilbride men as they tore the St Brigid’s defence asunder only to hit the uprights and crossbar twice, denying them vital scores. Also a superb save by St Brigid’s goalie from a Seamus Gray attempt didn’t help their cause. Full marks to Kilbride who gave everything they had on Sunday against a superior Offaly side.
Kilbride team: Derry O’Toole, James Foley, John Fitzpatrick, Michael O’Brien, Stuart Collier, Eoin Nolan, Colin O’Toole, Darragh Foley, Seamus Gray, Joe Waters, Brendan Butler, Jim Fitzpatrick, Michael Browne , Padraig Nolan, Stephen Curry. Substitutes: Jason Carroll for John Fitzpatrick, Vincent Butler for Michael O’Brien, Paddy Waters for James Foley, Tom Nolan for Jim Fitzpatrick.
