LONDON SFC FINAL 2006

Third title for St Brendans

GAA: London SFC Final

By John Collins (Irish World)

St Brendans..........0-9

Tara......................1-4

St Brendans marked their fiftieth anniversary with a remarkable and unexpected victory in the final of the London Senior Championship last Saturday.

The success, which is the club’s third Senior Championship overall, was achieved through a great game plan and some tremendous team work from all 17 players used on the day.

Tara, hot favourites going into the game, failed to reproduce the magic they had shown in their semi-final win over Tir Chonaill Gaels and despite going 1-1 to no score ahead after 8mins of play, they never looked like taking control of the game.

Three great points from young full forward Killian Phair and a superb showing from the team’s defensive unit, helped St Brendans edge their way back into the game and once they took the lead with 12mins left to play, they never looked like losing.

After the game a delighted St Brendans manager Peter McNally said: “Since the Championship started we have had a set pattern of play and we have stuck to it and that was to keep the ball moving at all times. It was fifteen-man football and there was no point in having one or two stars. Everyone played their part.

“There was good use of the ball and it was intelligent use of the ball.”

And speaking of several of his top performers on the day, McNally added: “I thought Adrian Brett really came up trumps in the last couple of weeks.

“I always had the confidence in Killian Phair. He is only a young fella, he is still only 21, but there is something about him that sticks out. He has that swagger. He had it rough it the first half but he shone in the second half.”

Meanwhile team captain Adrian Brett spoke of the team work that had helped his side to their success and he told the Irish World: “ It was top drawer. To have lost it last year and to come back is great.

“We lost a lot of very good players last year and we had to start from scratch. A lot of boys stuck at it.

“We didn’t just lose players last year, we lost Pat McNabb as well, and he has been running everything for the last couple of years.

“The boys realised last year what it was like to lose it. We had a great team last year on paper but didn’t win it.”

St Brendans now go on to meet Munster Senior Champions Dr Crokes in the All Ireland quarter-final in Ruislip in January.

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