Business end of the local senior and intermediate football championships takes shape

The teams in the knockout stages of this year’s senior and intermediate football championships are almost nailed on after six games on Saturday evening.

With Roscommon Gaels, Oran, St. Brigid’s, Michael Glaveys and Clann na nGael already guaranteed their place in the last eight, the meeting of Pádraig Pearses and Boyle in Group C at Woodmount — a repeat of last year’s semi-final — was destined to reveal another quarter-finalist.

It was the home side that grasped that opportunity with a 1-13 to 1-10 success, a result that didn’t flatter Frank Canning’s charges.

The opening half was closely contested with Daire Cregg marking his return to Boyle colours with a goal. Indeed, inside the first 20 minutes, the Roscommon forward had 1-3 to his name.

With the sides level at the break, 1-4 to 0-7, Boyle would have been feeling good about themselves with the breeze behind them for the second half.

Ten minutes into the new half, the sides were still deadlocked, 1-7 to 0-10. But, in the 44th minute, Pearses struck a decisive blow when Conor Ryan fisted a high, hanging ball from Declan Kenny to the net.

Nial Daly was excellent for the winners, kicking 0-4 from play over the hour from midfield.

Clann na nGael consolidated top spot in the group with a 4-19 to 1-12 victory against St. Dominic’s in Knockcroghery.

Whatever chance the home side had of causing an upset evaporated in the sixth minute when David Gately was shown a straight red card.

Two goals in as many minutes from Josh Lennon and Emmet Kenny catapulted Clann into a 2-10 to 0-6 interval advantage, and Paddy Gavin’s 40th minute goal put the issue beyond doubt.

Jamie Tiernan slotted home a goal for Dominic’s, but Gavin’s second goal of the evening in injury time sent the Clann faithful back up the N61 in good form.

Following a draw on Saturday evening, Boyle will play Castlerea St. Kevin's and St. Faithleach's will meet North Roscommon in the preliminary quarter-finals next weekend.

St. Dominic’s, Tulsk Lord Edwards and Western Gaels will contest the relegation play-offs.

The placings in Groups B and C of the intermediate football championship were also decided this evening.

The big local derby between Creggs and Fuerty at a sun-soaked Lisnamult decided who would join Éire Óg from Group B in the quarter-finals.

In the end, it was Fuerty that claimed the bragging rights with a 1-13 to 1-6 victory, thanks to a very strong finish.

With only seven minutes remaining, there was only a point between the teams but Darragh Mullen’s 53rd minute goal swung the pendulum decisively in Fuerty’s favour.

It was a strange game that never really came to life. Fuerty were the dominant team in the opening half, but Darren Gately’s opportunist goal just before the break left his side trailing by just two points, 0-7 to 1-2.

The third quarter was cagey until Mullen’s crucial goal, which was followed by a scoring flurry by the winners to see them over the line.

In Castlerea, Éire Óg confirmed top spot in the group with a 3-12 to 0-12 victory against St. Croan’s.

Brian Greene’s first-half goal handed Pat Doory’s charges a 1-7 to 0-6 interval lead, and second-half goals from Eoghan Walsh and Ronan Cahill eased their side to a comfortable victory.

A late sting in the tale was brewing in Group C with both games between Strokestown and St. Brigid’s and Kilmore and St. Michael’s on a knife-edge coming up the home stretch.

In the end, Strokestown confirmed top spot with an unconvincing 1-11 to 1-7 victory against St. Brigid’s who will feel they at least deserved a draw.

With Diarmuid McGann leading from the front, Strokestown were 0-7 to 0-4 ahead at the break, albeit they had played with the aid of the breeze.

Ian O’Rourke’s well-taken 34th minute goal left everything up for grabs, and with ten minutes remaining, Gearóid Cunniffe’s excellent score from distance left just a point between the sides, 0-11 to 1-7 in Strokestown’s favour.

St. Brigid’s could have gone in front when Eoghan Derwin hit the crossbar late on, and when their goalkeeper, Evan Gallagher, was overturned in the fourth minute of injury time, the home side kept their cool to allow centre-back Keith Murphy palm home the match-winning goal.

Paul Garvey rescued a draw for Kilmore as the home side shared the spoils against St. Michael’s, 1-8 apiece.

Caelan Bracken’s early goal handed Kilmore the initiative, but, predictably, Fiachra Henry hauled the visitors back into contention with a three-pointer.

Kilmore were 1-5 to 1-3 ahead at the break but St. Michael’s were the better team in the second half, and Henry’s free with five minutes remaining edged his side ahead.

In the knowledge that a Brigid’s win or a draw in Strokestown would have kept Michael’s in contention and condemned Kilmore to the relegation play-offs, there were nerves aplenty. But Garvey late free rescued a draw and, in the process, catapulted Kilmore into the quarter-finals.

Group A will be decided on Sunday, with Elphin and Shannon Gaels, who are already assured of their quarter-final places, meeting in Ballinameen to see who finishes top of the group.

Éire Óg, Fuerty, Strokestown and Kilmore have already booked their ticket to the last eight.

Kilbride’s meeting with Pádraig Pearses in Knockcroghery will decide who makes the preliminary quarter-finals alongside St. Brigid’s and Creggs.

The loser of that game will join St. Michael’s and St. Croan’s in the relegation play-offs.

*Reports from all Saturday evening’s game in Tuesday’s Roscommon Herald