Roscommon suffered an 11 point defeat to Galway in today’s Connacht Senior Football Championship Final Replay in a game that players, Management and Supporters will want to forget.
Galway started brightly and some excellent attacking Football, added to last week’s Blanket Defence saw them lead by 0-3 to 0-0 after six minutes. It took Roscommon until the 13th minute to get their opening score, via Ciarain Murtagh, and two minutes later Senan Kilbride pointed. Just when it looked as if Roscommon was getting a grip on the game Galway corner forward Danny Cummins send the ball past Darren O’Malley in the 19th minute. Ciarain Murtagh replied with another point shortly after but the game was over as a contest in the 25th minute when Gary Sice blasted the ball to the back. Galway added two more points in the five minutes that followed before Ciarain Murtagh got two late points to leave it Roscommon 0-5 Galway 2-9 at Half-time.
Roscommon brought on Fergal Lennon and Enda Smith at half-time and the Clann na nGael defender scored a point with his first kick of the game. Although Roscommon applied much more pressure on the resumption it was Galway who were putting the ball over the bar. They scored four points without reply in a five minute spell with Enda Smith and Senan Kilbride replying in the 50th and 55th minute. Moments later Danny Cummins hit Roscommon on the counter attack and got his second goal of the afternoon.
Roscommon’s day was made worse when Donie Smith received a second yellow Card following a “tussle”. As the game wore Galway eased out of top gear and Roscommon got some consolation scores to leave it 0-14 to 3-16.
Team and scorers
1 Darren O’Malley
2 David Murray.
3 Sean Mullooly.
4 Niall McInerney.
5 Sean McDermott.
6 John McManus.
7 Sean Purcell.
8 Niall Daly.
9 Cathal Compton.
10 Fintan Cregg.
11 Conor Devaney.
12 David Keenan.
13 Cathal Cregg (0-1).
14 Senan Kilbride (0-2).
15 Ciaran Murtagh (C) (0-4, 1f).
Subs used: D Smith for Keenan (30 mins, BC); F Lennon (0-1) for S Purcell (HT); E Smith (0-2) for Devaney (HT); D Shine (0-2) for F Cregg (42); T Corcoran (0-1) for Compton (48); U Harney (0-1) for Mullooly (52 mins, BC)
The Qualifiers
Roscommon now go into the Draw for the Round 4A of the All-Ireland Championship where they will be paired with Clare or Derry. That Draw takes place on RTE Radio 1 tomorrow morning just after the 8:30am news. The game is due to take place next Saturday.