After last Sunday's false start, when the referee failed to show up for the St Brendan's Hurlers Junior D Championship opener against Round Towers Lusk. We finally have some Championship action to report on here when the St Brendan's 1st XV, sponsored by Michael Cox Furniture, travelled to Westmanstown to take on The Garda Team in the opening round of the goaheadireland.ie Intermediate Club Championship.

Before that, lets have a round up on what happened with other on field activity involving St Brendan's GAA Club.

On Wednesday, after a pulsating 1-12 to 2-9 draw, the LAdies Football 1st XV, Sponsored by McGowans of Phibsborough had a chance of making history by winning a Championship Final on home soil, when St Peregrines travelled to Grangegorman, before a record crowd for a Home Ladies Football game.

Alas, it wasn't to be for The Female Dark Force as St Peregrines hit the ground running with early goals and well planned defensive setup and despite a late rally from the home side, St Peregrines prevailed on a scoreline of 6-10 to 2-14.

On Thursday The St Brendan's Camogie Team, Sponsored by Comtech, had something to smile about when defeating Fingallians 10-5 to no score in the final Group Game in the Go Ahead Transport Junior 5B Championship and can now look forward to a Final on September 26th against Wild Geese, In Oldtown.

So onto Westmanstown Sports Complex this Sunday and we pick it up after the First Half Water Break with the Garda Team leading 0-3 to 0-2.

Both sides traded points after the water break, Garda got their point first from a free in.  John Burns played his free into Cillian 'Return Of The Mack' Morrison and his shot was blocked, but the ball rebounded to John Feeney and made no mistake over the bar 0-4 to 0-3.

The home side benefited from a mistake on the Brendan's defence when poaching possession and shot initially hit the upright but they got a second bite of the cherry and made no mistake. John Burns had another opportunity from a free in from the same spot as the last one and this time took the free in himself and prevailed. Burns's free in was the last kick of the first and St Brendan's trail at half time 0-5 to 0-4.

After the Garda Team opened the second half scoring, Morrison kept The Dark Force ticking with a point after Conor Doherty won possession and a final pass from Liam 'Oisin Mullin' Atkinson. 0-6 to 0-5.

Doherty levelled matters when a diagonal ball from John Burns was about to be turned over but not handled well in the greasy surface. Doherty took advantage and kicked a sweet point.

St Brendan's took the lead when a Garda player unexpectedly won a turnover and ended up handling the ball on the ground, after pointing a free from the same angle in the first half, John Burns made no mistake in the second half 0-6 to 0-7.

That became 0-8 when a wayward pass went to Luke 'The Miracle Worker' McDonagh won possession, found 'Return Of The Mack' Morrison and kicked a wonderful score to put two between the sides. Morrison made it a brace by pointing a 30 meter free after a foul on Fintan Culhane. 0-9 to 0-6 at the second half swig of the Magic Bottle in which John Feeney was so focused that he accidentally flung his water bottle at the direction of this writer. Totally unintentionally of course, such was his focus.

Another medium distance free in from Morrison followed after a foul in Ferdia Donohoe which was his last contribution of the match as he was replaced by Lorcan Bannon soon after Morrison pointed the free in. There was a lengthy stoppage while the referee awarded Garda a free in after some off the ball niggles, but it was 15 v 15 again with a Garda back on the beat after an enforced 10 minute break for a black card. The free in was promptly converted.

That substitution, made by Aran O'Dowd, Justin McCormack and John Tuffy proved fruitful when Lorcan Bannon barged the Garda defence with an interception and promptly punished the home side with a low shot into the back of the net. 1-10 to 0-8.

Two minutes into injury time and after Garda hit a brace of points. Derek Brady, on as a substitute, scored the insurance point and the four point buffer. That point kinda deflated the Garda team whose challenge fizzled out and at the final whistle, it was St Brendan's who were celebrating the team's second time winning a game in the Intermediate Club Championship.

It was also some consolation for the Mayo duo of Colm Harte and Jason Clarke, who were still hurting after Mayo's heartbreaking All Ireland Final loss, the county's 11th since 1989, but I'm sure todays victory for St Brendan's will give both men something to be heartened about and they, and the rest of the team can now turn their attention to the next Championship match against Round Towers Clondalkin on September 25th.

Final Score from Westmanstown Sports Complex, St Brendan's 1-11 Garda 0-10.

The St Brendan's 2nd XV's Junior 5 All County Championship fixture against Fingallians, due to take place later in the afternoon, was called off.