Cakewalk for Boyle in Castlerea as St. Michael's take Creggs' scalp
Donie Smith and his Boyle team-mates had things all their own way against Castlerea St. Kevin's on Saturday evening. Picture: Bernie O'Farrell
A busy Saturday evening of Roscommon Senior and Intermediate Football Championship action resulted in four one-sided affairs and a tight contest between Creggs and St. Michael’s.
In Group C of the Hodson Bay Hotel Group sponsored senior football championship, Boyle rocked up to O’Rourke Park and made it two wins from two with a facile 3-19 to 1-9 against hosts Castlerea St. Kevin’s.
Boyle kicked the first three points but when a couple of scores from Adam McDermott and another white flag from Donal Brennan left it 0-3 apiece at the end of the first quarter, a competitive game was in the pipeline.
But it was false dawn as the visitors completely took over. A brilliant pass from Enda Smith unlocked the home side’s defence, and Luke McGrath was on hand to find the net.
A black card for Jack Keane didn’t help Castlerea, and when Cathal Feely added a second goal, Boyle powered into a 2-9 to 0-4 interval lead.
Eamonn O’Hara’s side did what they pleased from there as McGrath grabbed his second and Boyle’s third goal of the evening.
The returning Daire Cregg kicked 0-6 from play, and while Adam McDermott grabbed a consolation goal for the hosts, the gulf in class between the two sides was vast.
The big game in the Ward Bros. Intermediate Football Championship was the meeting of Creggs and St. Michael’s in Creggs, and it was the visitors that registered a thoroughly deserved victory on a scoreline of 1-15 to 3-7.
James Martin’s outfit were always the better side but Creggs, led by Ronan and Shane Dowd, were always able to conjure up goals to keep them in touch.
Two terrific Niall Conlon points inside a minute were key scores in establishing a 0-6 to 0-1 lead for his side after 18 minutes.
But all that good work unravelled when Creggs wing-forward, Matthew Browne, worked his way in from the right wing and rattled the net, although the ball took a deflection off St. Michael’s defender Alan O’Connor.
A second Creggs goal in the 28th minute by Seán Dermody edged Enda McGann’s side in front but Fiachra Henry replied instantly to leave Michael’s 1-8 to 2-4 ahead at the break.
Once again, Michael’s pushed on at the start of the second half with the excellent Brian O’Connor and Ruadhan Henry among those to find the target.
Michael’s were 1-12 to 2-4 ahead when Shane Dowd grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, hitting 1-3, including a two-pointer, in the space of four minutes to edge Creggs back in front.
But the visitors held their nerve with a hat-trick of points from Fiachra and Ruadhan Henry (both frees), and substitute Jack Lane to secure a famous win and leave them in pole position to cement second place in Group B behind Tulsk.
In the other game of the group, Tulsk, as expected, romped to a 23-point victory against St. Barry’s.
Goals from Robbie Kelly, Dylan Gaughan and David McNamara propelled Liam McNeill’s side 3-4 to 0-2 ahead after only 16 minutes.
A well-struck two-pointer from Evan Flynn left the home side 3-11 to 0-3 ahead at the break, and a second orange flag from goalkeeper Seán Martin, from a free, helped pad out the winning margin as Tulsk prevailed by 3-21 to 0-7.
In Group A, Éire Óg produced an unconvincing performance, albeit they enjoyed a comfortable 0-12 to 0-5 victory against Pádraig Pearses in Woodmount.
In what was generally a turgid affair, Brendan Greene’s side were 0-7 to 0-3 ahead at the break, and a late two-point free from Conor Cox ensured that the visitors prevailed by seven points to register their second win of the campaign.
In Group C, Kilbride’s woes continued as they were soundly beaten by St. Brigid’s, 3-21 to 1-10, in Kiltoom.
David Cunniffe’s goal helped the home side into a 1-15 to 0-6 half-time lead. Brian Derwin and Kevin Battles swapped goals in the second half before Oisín O’Beirne missed a penalty.
Pádraig Kelly netted a third goal for Brigid’s in the final action of the contest, leaving them and Strokestown to battle it out in the final round of games to see who tops the group.
