Lucan 2:14 St Brendans 1:18 after extra time.

The final mins of the 2nd period of extra time. Tired bodies. Cramped muscles. Heads dropping. Final 10mins produced just 3 pts. (On 4 occasions in the match, ref started the clock, threw in the ball & Brendans promptly took the lead). Tired mistakes were turning it into a lottery. Frees went abegging. BTorsney(0-2) levelled matters for the 3rd time with a battling point. This was real championship fare. Hits were big. Tired legs. Lucan looked to have the stronger legs though & were finally  dominating the middle of the field. A breaking ball fell to MSharkey(0-2), who showed all his class, in the 82nd min, to finally see Lucan with their noses ahead, for the very first time!!

Somehow the ref saw another 3mins of added time. Brendan's found the kitchen sink, but Lucan stood firm, & when MCasey intercepted & broke the siege, the ref decided he'd seen enough. Party time!!

A huge Lucan support will have to put on some show in the final, if they're to upstage today's celebrations! 

Brendan's had started strongly. 4 up after 6mins! PSloan(0-1) got Lucan rolling, then a super move saw TBradley(1-1) burst through and blasted the ball past the keeper. Brendan's responded almost immediately with a good goal of their own, & 3pts. BTorsney & JDoyle(0-5) free left only 4 between them with ref ready to blow the half. A dropping ball fell to Brendan's & wrong footed NCunningham. A green flag saw 7pts at the turn. 

Lucan took heart & started with real intent. 4pts in a row. AGlover(0-1) took advantage of a poor kickout. Under huge pressure NMcKiernan(0-1) brought it back to 3. Brendan's responded, but Lucan seemed to have the legs. Subs JCarey(0-4) & GHamilton(0-1) brought an option that Brendan's just didn't have. 

Nobody could break the deadlock & ref blew up 1-13 v 2-10. Much debate with ref but black carded MMoran was confined to barracks for extra time, but had given 60mins of graft. GFay, DHerlihy, CHickey & MWallace (carded before he even got onto the pitch!!) all brought their best as we fought down the final straight. The defence were a superb unit SKeher, ANorton, DQuinn, SCasey, MCasey & SCollins. Brendan's are a good team and attack with power & pace, but although severely tested this defence refused to buckle. Even the smallest stood tall today. 

This really should be on the Sunday Game tonight.

Lucan Team

Niall Cunningham. Seamus Keher. Anthony Norton. Daragh Quinn. Shane Casey. Mick Casey. Simon Collins. Tim Bradley. Mark Moran (C). Barry Torsney. Paul Sloan. Niall McKiernan. Mark Sharkey. John Doyle. Aidan Glover.  Subs. Jack Carey. Gareth Hamilton. Graham Fay. David Herlihy. Maurice Wallace. Colm Hickey. SDonohue. CTorsney. RMcNulty. MKelly. DParsons. GHealy. NSimpson. KCondon.