LIVONIA -- Five inches. That’s the width of a typical goal post in soccer. It’s also the difference in Father Gabriel Richard’s 2-0 loss to Grosse Ile in the Division 3 district championship game at Livonia Clarenceville High School Thursday night.

The Red Devils got the five inches, the Irish did not.

You couldn’t blame Gabriel Richard and Grosse Ile if they penciled this matchup in at the start of the season. In four of the past five years, the two have met in a district final. And each time, the Red Devils have come away victorious.

This year’s installment came on a blustery and chilly night in Livonia, with temperatures in the 40s throughout the game and a field made slick by a 30-minute shower just hours before the game.

The chill in the air did nothing to cool off the competition on the field, however. A physical and, at times, chippy game (Grosse Ile collected 17 fouls to Gabriel Richard’s seven) just seemed to go the Red Devil’s way more often than Gabriel Richard’s.

With just under 27 minutes left to play with the game still scoreless, the Red Devils found themselves with a free kick from about 30 yards out directly in front of Irish keeper Adam Thomason.

More Coverage at MLive.com: Rest of the Story | Boxscore | District Bracket