Gaelic Games

Bernard Brogan grabs hat-trick as 2013 All Stars triumph in Boston

Jim Gavin’s side score 10 goals in exhibition match

Bernard Brogan of the 2013 All Stars in action against Fionn Fitzgerald of the 2014 side at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton, Massachusetts. Photograph: Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Bernard Brogan of the 2013 All Stars in action against Fionn Fitzgerald of the 2014 side at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton, Massachusetts. Photograph: Ray McManus/Sportsfile
Seán Moran in Boston
Sat Nov 29 2014 - 21:02

2013 All Stars 10-7 2014 All Stars 5-5

There was an easy win for the 2013 team, managed by Dublin's Jim Gavin, in the GAA-GPA All Stars exhibition match in the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton, Boston.

The winners established control early in proceedings and survived a mini-revival in the second half to romp home by 17 points.

Scoring honours went to Dublin's Bernard Brogan who shot three goals for the 2013 team but he was ably assisted by Conor McManus and Aidan O'Shea, who scored 2-2 breaking from centrefield.

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At the back the winners, well marshalled by Rory O'Carroll, managed to hold Michael Murphy and Cillian O'Connor scoreless and there was also a star turn by Mayo goalkeeper Rob Hennelly who made a series of saves to keep his team well in command.

At one stage, Hennelly decided to venture up the field and nearly got on the end of a goal scoring move before facing the long journey home to his square.

Donegal's Paddy McBrearty was the busiest of the 2014 forwards for whom rising Galway star Shane Walsh also showed well, scoring a goal from a first-half penalty.

Manager of the 2014 team James Horan may have permitted himself a wry smile at the sight of Keith Higgins bursting forward from defence to crack in the team's two second-half goals – given the former Mayo manager's one-time dilemma over whether to play Higgins in attack or defence.

A good-sized crowd of around 700 enjoyed the match on a sunny but freezing afternoon.

In the curtain raiser, a late rally by New York secured a draw against Boston.

2013 ALL STARS: R Hennelly (Mayo); L Keegan (Mayo), R O'Carroll (Dublin), D Wylie (Monaghan); C Boyle (Mayo; 0-1), T Kernan (Armagh; 1-1); A O'Shea (Mayo; 2-2), S O'Shea (Mayo); S Cavanagh (Tyrone; 1-0), D Walsh (Kerry; 1-0); C McManus (Monaghan; 1-1), B Brogan (Dublin; 3-0), M Dunne (Cavan; 1-2).

2014 ALL STARS: P Durcan (Donegal); K Higgins (Mayo; 2-0), N McGee (Donegal), C Clarke (Cavan); F Fitzgerald (Kerry), C O'Riordan (Tipperary); D Moran (Kerry; 0-1, free), N Gallagher (Donegal; 1-0); R McHugh (Donegal; 0-1), M Murphy (Donegal); C O'Connor (Mayo), S Walsh (Galway; 1-1, goal penalty), P McBrearty (Donegal; 1-2).

Referee: E Kinsella (Laois)