OLIVER PLUNKETT'S/ ER............ 1-12 ST SYLVESTER'S.......................... 3-5

( after extra time) A WEEK is a long time in football and for three of Dublin's fallen stars in Bernard and Alan Brogan and Ross McConnell, their redemption in the end came from the boot of Garret ' Nesty' Smith in Thursday's dramatic Dublin Senior Football championship clash in Parnell Park.

In the 83rd minute, the adopted Cavan forward was presented with a free from 45 metres after Jude Sullivan had crashed into Bernard Brogan, an offence which merited the Sylvesters centre forward his second yellow of the night.

And with a second period of extra time just inches away from completion, Smith duly struck over the free to put Plunketts in front for, incredibly, the first time in the game.

A late charge from Brian McGuirk was to hand Syl's a last-gasp free, but disappointingly for the travelling Malahide contingent, Darren Clarke's effort from the right dropped short at the far post and with it went Sylvester's chance to draw the game.

Disappointment then for the Division one leaders, and especially for the Syl's manager, Gabriel Bannigan, who gave his reaction the following day.

' We led almost practically the whole game. The first time they led was after 82 and half minutes. I'm gutted. I thought we deserved to win the game.

' I thought there were a few dubious calls. The referee gave us nothing, absolutely nothing. Some of the calls he made were for us over-carrying and then their fellows could take as many steps as they wanted to.

' But we also have to look at ourselves. We missed too much in the first half in particular when we were way on top; we should have got more scores.'

Sylvester's couldn't have asked for a better start when inside the first minute, Sullivan played a ball into Clarke and he duly smashed the ball past the keeper.

In between wides from Offaly midfielder John Coughlan and Brian Sexton, Clarke sent over a point to extend the gap to four points, but already Paul Brogan was proving a handful in the middle third of the field.

And after Smith had opened the Plunkett's account, Brogan then won back possession before offloading to former Dublin Under-21 Smith for their second score of the game.

Smith made three on the trot after an initial shot from All Star incumbent Bernard Brogan had been saved by the alert Robbie Wallace.

Plunketts would hit two wides after that, but already the warning signs had been heeded as Syl's young corner back Fionn Kearney was called to shore with just 15 minutes gone. Then on 25 minutes Sylvester's were awarded a penalty after Clarke was pulled down by Patrick Bergin.

Aidan Relihan duly stepped up to tuck away the spot kick, but the advantage was lost almost immediately when after struggling to clear his lines, Barry Ryan was adjudged to have pulled down Bernard Brogan.

Smith was spot on with the penalty and Plunketts might have had a second goal were it not for a superb save by Wallace to deny Bernard Brogan.

Within a matter of seconds, Sylvester's had broken upfield with Eoin Fanning and Relihan setting up Russell Cleere on the edge of the square, and he duly delivered a fantastic shot beyond Sommerville at his far corner.

At this stage Sylvesters were well on top, with the Plunkett's corner backs dragged out of position as the Sylvester's midfield delivered some incisive balls into the full forward line.

Nonetheless it was Plunketts who struck for the final score of the half when the industrious Paul Brogan once more forced Syl's to concede possession, with Smith raising the white flag to leave the half time score reading 3-1 to 1-4.

And although Syl's were to return after the break without midfielder Johnny Murphy, who picked up a bad knee injury, his replacement Ross Hazely laid down a marker shortly after the restart when putting in a great block on Michael Brides.

Still, the Navan Road men were quick out of the blocks, with Nesty scoring off an Alan Brogan assist, with the latter pointing soon after.

And after Paul Brogan had made yet another steal, his brother Bernard, having been held scoreless from play by Ryan, sent over a free from the left.

While Syl's injury jinx continued following the withdrawal of Keith Galvin, they were to hit Plunketts with two well struck frees from Aidan Relihan and Jude Sullivan to lead by two points with seven minutes to go, with Colm Hanratty rejuvenating the Syl's attack on his introduction.

However, back-to-back points from David Sweeney and Alan Brogan were to level proceedings on 55 minutes.

That left it at 3-3 to 1-9 at the end of normal time, and the first period got off to a tremendous start when Wallace pulled off another tremendous save to deny Sweeney.

However, after Kian Cleere had set up a Syl's attack following a tremendous diagonal ball from defence, Clarke pointed, only for Smith to level proceedings after Alan Brogan had taken out a player with a fantastic run down the right.

However, a Clarke free ensured a one-point lead for Syl's at the break, before Meath star Anthony Moyles, having pushed up further for the latter stages, sent over a score with the outside of his right foot.

At that stage most would have settled for a replay, but it was not to be, with Smith's free coupled with Clarke' unfortunate miss sealing Syl's fate.

OLIVER PLUNKETTS/ ER: Eoin Somerville, Rory O'Connor, Conor Evans, Patrick Bergin, Michael Brides, Anthony Moyles 0-1, James Brogan, Ross McConnell, Craig Dunleavy, Paul Brogan, Jason Sherlock, David Matthews, Bernard Brogan 0-1f, Alan Brogan 0-2, Garrett Smith 1-7 ( 1-0 pen, 0-1f). Subs: Colm Fitzsimons for Bergin ( 28), David Sweeney 0-1 for Matthews ( 44), Nicholas Kennedy for for Evans ( 65), Peter Kennedy for Sweeney ( 79).

ST ST SYLVESTERS: Robbie Wallace, Fionn Carney, Barry Ryan, Airy Cleere, Brian Sexton, Jamie Carr, David Galvin, Johnny Murphy, John Coughlan, Eoin Fanning, Jude Sullivan 0-1f, Gary Sweeney, Russell Cleere 1-0, Aidan Relihan 1-1 ( 1-0 pen), Darren Clarke 1-3 ( 0-1f). Subs: Gavan McArdle for Carney ( 16), Ross Hazely for Murphy ( 29), Eoin Bennis for Russell Cleere ( 38), Colm Hanratty for Galvin ( 47), Kian Cleere for Airy Cleere ( 61), Micháel McCarthy for Sexton ( 65), Niall Coughlan for Sexton ( 71), Russell Cleere for Fanning ( 79).

- Rory KERR