Connacht GAA Sennior Football Championship
Roscommon 1-14 London 0-10
Ruislip
Roscommon Senior Footballers advanced to meet Sligo in the Connacht GAA Senior Football Championship following their seven point victory over London. However this does not give the story of the game as London, missing some regular starters will regret the sixteen wides they kicked over the course of the game especially the six in a row near in the end of the game as they owned possession in the second half.
Roscommon, who made one change to the team announced earlier in the week with Ian Kibride starting at midfield instead of the injured Mark Healy, started well kicking the first three scores through Donie Shine(free), Cathal Shine and Enda Smith in the first four minutes. London answered these scores with a free from Adrian Moyles(free) and a cheeky point from Roscommon native Alan O’ Hara. However Roscommon took over and kicked the next six scores with some sublime points from the boot of the impressive Enda Smith. Roscommon could have been further ahead but for two outstanding saves from London custodian Declan Traynor. He pulled off two point blanks saves from Cathal Cregg and Donie Shine, in what were some great moves from the Roscommon side. It was in this period of dominance that London lost their centre half forward Cathal Greene on a black card. London eventually got a grip in the half and were rewarded with a point from Lorcan Mulvey. The half ended with points for Roscommon from Ian Kilbride and Ciaran Murtagh and two further scores from Mulvey, one a free. At half time Roscommon retired to dressing rooms leading 0-11 to 0-5.
Cathal Shine kicked Roscommon’s first score in the second half, London answered this with a free from Mulvey, however Roscommon breached the London rear guard with a goal from Ciaran Murtagh. It now looked like Roscommon would finish the day with an easy victory as they lead by nine points, (1-12 to 0-9). However London, through sheer will wrestled their way back into the game would dominate possession to the final whistle. The very impressive Mulvey would kick a further 4 points for London however their cause was not helped by a sucession of wides, (10 in total in the second half), that ruined any chances they may have had of defeating the primrose & blue. Roscommon who would only add two further points in thirty three minutes of the second half were pinned back time and again and certainly breathed a sigh of relief on the full time whistle.
John Evans, Roscommon Team Manager, said after the game, that London brought them back to earth following their high of Allainz League success and promotion to Division 1, and he will have plenty to think over in the lead up to their game against Sligo. He had some good performances at various stages of the game, Enda Smith lit up the first half, Ctahl Cregg impressed in the second half with his work rate, while the ever reliable Sean McDermott was ever vigilant in his duties in defence. Evans will be delighted with test his young team received and will hope for a more consistent level of performance over seventy minutes against the Yeats county.
London will certainly regret the number of scoring chances that they had and if manager Paul Coggins can keep this level of performance and improve in front of the posts they will be a team to avoid in the Qualifiers, although he can be heartened by his teams character and they number of chances they created throughout.
Scorers for Roscommon: Ciaran Murtagh 1-2, Enda Smith 0-4, Cathal Shine 0-2, Donie Shine 0-2(2f), Diarmuid Murtagh 0-2, Ian Kilbride 0-1, Ultan Harney 0-1.
Scorers for London: Lorcan Mulvey 0-8(5f), Adrain Moyles 0-1(1f), Alan O’ Hara(0-1)
London: Declan Traynor(Tir Chonaill Gaels), Brian Collins(Tir Chonaill Gaels), Philip Butler(Tir Chonaill Gaels), David McGreevy(Kingdom Kerry Gaels), Donnacha McCarthy(Kingdom Kerry Gaels), Caoimhin Carty(Kingdom Kerry Gaels), Stephen Curran(St Kiernans), Mark Gottsche(Tir Chonaill Gaels), Martin Carroll(C)( Parnells), Scott Conroy(North London Shamrocks), Cathal Creene(St Kiernans), James Moran(St Kiernans), Alan O’ Hara(Kingdom Kerry Gaels), Lorcan Mulvey(Fulham Irish), Adrian Moyles(St Kiernans).
Subs used: 25. Peter O’ Shea for Cathal Greene(bc), 22. Padraig McGoldrick for Adrain Moyles, 26. Michael Walsh for James Moran, 19. Ashley Carr for Martin Carroll, 20. Stephen Devine for Donnacha McCarthy, 18. Shane Buckley for Scott Conroy.
Roscommon: 1. D. O’ Malley(Ml Glaveys) 2. S. McDermott(Western Gaels) 3. N. Carty(Padraig Pearses) 4. N. Collins(Castlerea St. Kevins), 5. D. Ward(Kilmacud Crokes), 6. N. Daly(Padraig Pearses), 7. C. Cafferkey(Western Gaels), 19. I. Kilbride(St. Brigids), 9. C. Shine(Clann na Gael), 15. C. Cregg(Western Gaels) 12. C. Murtagh(St. Faithleachs), 10. E. Smith(Boyle), 13. D. Murtagh(St. Faithleachs), 11. D. Shine(Clann na Gael), 14. S. Kilbride(St. Brigids).
Subs used: 22. Ronan Stack for Donal Ward(inj), 21. Cian Connolly for S. Kilbride, 18. Ultan Harney for Enda Smith, 23. Donal Smith for Diarmuid Murtagh, 17. Thomas Featherson for Niall Carty, 24. Ronan Daly for Ciaran Murtagh
Referee: E. Kinsella(Laois)
By briangaa Sun 24th May
