Brennan points St Colmcille's to All-Ireland final
Ben Brennan did again. This time his injury-time heroics earned St Colmcille's an All-Ireland IFC final place following a stunning 3-11 to 2-13 semi-final victory over Tyrone champions Pomeroy in the Gaelic Grounds Armagh.
Leading by eight points early in the second-half, St Colmcille's found themselves three down in the 56th minute before their amazing recovery.
St Colmcille's led by five-points at half-time, but in the eearly stages that looked unlikely as Pomeroy dominated the early stages and opened the scoring through John Loughran after just six seconds.
The dangerous Kieran McGeary doubled that advantage two minutes later as St Colmcille's struggled to get out of their half.
However Pomeroy indiscipline gifted frees to Ben Brennan and Graham Reilly, both of which were converted to restore parity, but still the Tyrone men looked dangerous with KieranMcGeary adding his second before limping out with a groin injury.
A second free from Reilly kept St Colmcille's in touch and with James Conlon tormenting their defence Pomeroy found themseelves behind for the first time when the Meath Young Player of the Year opened his account.
Hugh Pat McGeary leveelled forr Pomeroy in the 22nd minute, but then came the stunning goal with Reilly picking out Conlon with a brilliant passs. Conlon laid off superbly to David o'Byrnee and the wing forward applied a cool finish to make it 1-4 to 0-4.
Conlon kicked another superb point three minutes later to stretch St Colmcille's lead to four point and in the closing two minutes of the half St Colmcille's responded to a pointed free from Justin McCaffrey with scores from O'Byrne and Conlon to lead by 1-7 to 0-5 at the break.
That lead was stretched to eight poits two minutes after the break when Conlon netted. Kieran McGeary came back on to point for Pomeroy, but a fine score from Reilly restored St Colmcille's advantage.
However then Pomeroy took control as St Comcille's endured a 13 minute barren spell.
In that spell Pomeroy got back into the game when Frank Burns converted a penalty and after Burns pointed from play John Loughran bagged a second goal to close the gap to the minimum.
St Colmcille's capitulation continued when Burns clipping over three points to make it 2-10 to 2-8 with 12 minutes remaining.
Reilly ended St Colmcille's barren spell to close to within one, but when Burns (free) and Colhoun responded with points St Colmcille's looked out.
However, don't ever write of Sst Colmcille's.
Conor O'Byrne bagged a brilliant goal to level it up again and even after Loughran edged Pomeroy ahead again St colmcille's showed amazing charcater to level it through Robbie McLoskey before Brennan held his nervee to convert a 45-metre free and book an All-Ireland final spot.