After some confusion, whether or not the fixture would be played on Sunday Afternoon or Friday Evening, the St Brendan’s Football 2nd XV, in partnership with Stoneybatter Pride of Place finally got down to battle Lucan Sarsfields for supremacy at top of Group 2 of the Go Ahead Junior 6 South All County Championship on the Friday evening in Longmeadows. 

On a very busy weekend for the Longmeadows clubhouse, the Dublin Sprint Triathlon took place on the same evening this game so cars were parked on the sidelines and participants in the Sprint Triathlon using the shower facilities, plus to make matters worse, it started raining heavily an hour before throw in making the underfoot conditions all the more greasy. Thankfully the rain stopped before throw in.

The Darkest Force got off to a good start with a opening minute point from James McGee following a turnover from John Tuffy and final pass from David Ryan. Lucan then got the equaliser two minutes later. 

Ferdia Donohoe then made it two points to one after Marcus Brady won Conor Hallissey’s kick out and final pass from John Tuffy. But that was as good as it got because Lucan Sarsfields when on to score 11 points without reply and in final minute of the first half, Donohoe dropped a free in short to Tuffy, but fisted the ball wide.

The Hungry Boba Pizzeria Half Time score, St Brendan’s 0-2 Lucan Sarsfields 0-12.

Matters were not helped with St Brendan’s having their Jersey’s inside out due to a colour clash. John Tuffy and Cian Walsh were ripping their heads out over the poor first half, but Brian Marley had both men in a good frame of mind at the start of the second half with a good score after Marcus Brady had a shot half blocked down.

The encouraging start to the second half continued when Marley got the second of his brace of points, 0-12 to 0-4. There was relief on the double for St Brendan’s when a forward moved this way and that to find his spot to shoot, then got done for overcarrying, Lucan went down to 14 players for the next 10 minutes after a trip on Ferdia Donohoe, who promply scored the free in to make it 0-12 to 0-5, but Lucan did make it 13 points a minute later.

Donohoe continued to chip away the deficit when pointing his second point of his brace from a free in after The Milltown Four Star James McGee was fouled, 0-13 to 0-6.

Lucan scored again to make it 14, and John Tuffy made it 7 for his side after Conor Hallissey made a diving save to keep his goal intact with Michael Hickey clearing and resulted in Tuffys point.

A Lucan free in went straight into the breadbasket of Hallissey, but eventually getting their 15th point. Things got very interesting for the home side when Diarmuid Byrne found the substitute Eoin ‘The Danger Man’ McAuley who then set up Andy ‘The Ballagherderreen Bypass’ Moran for a low shot into the back of the Lucan 0-15 to 1-7.

Lucan then made a triple substitution. The trio all got their Leaving Cert results in the morning but put the celebrations on hold to help their side get the win here, one of which scored Lucan’s 16th point. Donohoe ensured a five-point deficit for St Brendan’s with another free in to make it 0-16 to 1-8.

Three minutes to go and it was, in essence, Game, Set and Match for Lucan when Hallissey was beaten not once but twice for goals in a minute as Lucan ended the game as a contest. Diarmuid Byrne hit a consolation point for St Brendan’s, but any chance of a goal ended when Marley was penalised for overcarrying as his marker celebrated just like England Rugby player Ben Earl celebrating an Ireland crooked line out throw in last Saturdays Rugby international.

So, a disappointing defeat for St Brendan’s 2nds who need a win against Ballyfermot De La Salle in two week's time to reach the knockout stages.

Final Score from Longmeadows, St Brendan’s 1-9 Lucan Sarsfields 2-16.