The 6th game of the Go-Ahead Adult Football League Division 5 took place on sunny but breezy Longmeadows on April 28th. But the previous Tuesday the 23rd, The Brendan’s Football 1st XV, Sponsored by Dynamic Safety Solutions, travelled to Sancta Maria in Ballyboden to face the 3rd XV of South Dublin Super Club Ballyboden St Enda's.  

Despite leading 1-8 to 1-7, Martin Ryan bemoaned the lack of subs for the Dark Force in contrast to the home side's embarrassment of riches which saw them get the win on the final score of 4-11 to 2-12. 

So how did St Brendan's get on against Naomh Olaf? Well, you must wait a while longer as I mentioned what happened to other sides during the week. 

On April 19th, The Hurlers, Sponsored by Transdev, saw their AHL7 Fixture against Castleknock moved from Sunday Morning to Friday evening in Grangegorman. Urged on my many members of the Football 2nd XV some with bags of cans, The Dark Force made it a 3rd victory of the year on a scoreline of 2-17 to 1-11. 

So, onto April 28th and the do or die encounter in Longmeadows. 

And it was a case of ‘Do’ for The Dark Force in the opening minute with a goal from The Ballaghaderreen Bypass Andy Moran. And even before the clock reached 1:50, The Antrim Adventurer Nicky McCafferty had the ball over the bar. McCafferty initially made an eye of a the needle pass to The Return of The Mack Cillian Morrisson, who shot was cleared, only to come to newcomer Andy ‘The Kei Truck’ Kelly and final pass to Moran. McCafferty won the next kick out which yielded the point. 

Kelly then tried to get a shot in but saved for 45. John Burns took the shot which fell short and cleared. After that hectic start, the match settled down. 

7 minutes gone The Wexican Oisin Carley made it 1-2 with a point following a turnover from The Golden Mullet Conall Horgan. After hitting a wide few second early, Andy ‘The Kei Truck’ Kelly scored his first St Brendan’s point following a Burns final pass. 

13 Minutes gone until the next St Brendan’s point scored by The Golden Mullet, in a move which started by Liam ‘Oisin Mullin’ Atkinson on his own 20-meter line. The Sandyford side then got their first point. 

Martin Ryan was a lot calmer as the first half reached 15 minutes when Moran had a great vision to find Ger Bannon on the run and passed to Morrisson for the second goal of the match. A Moran sideline ball then found Burns and The Longford Leader used the outside of the left boot to curl a wind assisted shot over the bar. Morrisson made it a brace of goals following a final McCafferty pass. 3-5 to 0-2. 

19:15 gone in the first half and Morrisson completed his hat trick when an initial shot was going wide but continued his run towards to goal to collect the ball fisted down by Moran to make to 4-5 to 0-4. 

Naomh Olaf scored a brace of points, the second of which was a 45 following a block from Michael ‘The DJ’ Cahill. Morrisson made it a 3-1 personal first half tally with a point in a move which involved Diarmuid Cooney and Kevin ‘76’ Berry. 

Andy ‘The Kei Truck’ Kelly rounded off the first half in style with a brilliantly taken goal which was also the last kick of the first half. 

Half Time Score St Brendan’s 5-6 Naomh Olaf 0-6. 

The Second half begins in usual St Brendan's fashion with a Bannon, Ger this time, scoring 15 seconds after John Burns won the second half throw in. Kevin ‘76’ Berry won the Olafs kick out and pass to Kelly who was fouled in the process, and then played the ball to Michael ‘The DJ’ Cahill and got his name on the scoresheet with a 35-meter shot over the bar 5-8 to 0-6. Indeed, The DJ would make it a personal brace after Morrisson had a goal shot blocked, only as far as Diarmuid Cooney and pass to Cahill for the point, 5-9 to 0-7. 

Despite the overwhelming deficit, Olafs began to play with more freedom and beat Conor Hallisey for goal, to ensure St Brendan’s having to keep fighting, not literally of course, such was the good clean sporting contest, to earn the 2nd win. 

But Morrisson responded with a point in which he turned on a sixpence to collect the pass from Cooney, An Olafs point made it 5-10 to 1-8. 

Ritchie O’Hora came in as a sub replacing Moran. Nicky McCafferty returned the 15-point lead with a free in, surprisingly the first in the match, and promptly converted. 

After an Olafs brace, John Burns made it 5-12 after Cahill got fouled and fed his free in to sub O’Hora and onto Burns for the point. 

The away side pegged a goal back after Brendan's defense caught napping with the big lead. Another free in ensured Brendan's attack was alert with Burns converting 5-13 to 2-10. 

McCafferty had to work extremely hard to get the citeog swinging to get another point on the board, but then a third Naomh Olaf goal was scored which would give Martin Ryan and Cian Walsh some problems but one felt it was better to have defensive frailties exposed now even when a comprehensive victory was inevitable. 

But Andy Kelly was not finished yet and with three minutes to go, The Kei Truck made it 5-15 with a super point following good work from Stephen Durkan, that was the last score of the contest as St Brendan’s ran down the clock and record the 2nd victory of 2024. 

Focus now shifts to May 7th and a Tuesday evening road trip to Man O’War. 

Final Score from Longmeadows, St Brendan’s 5-15 Naomh Olaf 3-11.