Clearcut victories for winners on opening evening of local football championship action
James Fitzpatrick struck for 1-3 as Oran made an impressive start to this year's senior football championship with a 21-point demolition of Elphin at Rockfield on Friday evening.
Clearcut winners were the main takeaways from the opening evening of action in the local club football championships, which got underway on Friday evening.
Reigning Roscommon and Connacht champions, St. Brigid’s, lay down an early marker in Group A of the Hodson Bay Group Senior Football Championship with a 15-point victory against Michael Glaveys — the team that beat them in the group stages last year.
Both sides contained a host of county players and Glaveys — aided by a couple of two-pointers from Niall Heneghan (from play) and Daniel Hagney (free) — were level after 24 minutes, 0-8 apiece.
But a couple of two-point efforts from Conor Hand and Ruaidhrí Fallon in quick succession prized open the floodgates, and when Ben O’Carroll goaled in the 25th minute, after Eoghan Derwin snaffled a short kickout, Damien Mulligan’s side were on their way.
Leading by 1-16 to 0-8 at half time, a brilliant double save by Conor Carroll — from a penalty and the subsequent rebound — ensured that any notions of a Glaveys comeback were quashed.
St. Brigid’s pushed on and Ciarán Sugrue’s 56th minute goal sealed a facile 1-24 to 0-12 victory in a game where Ben O’Carroll kicked 1-8, Ruaidhrí Fallon landed 0-5, but the winners will be concerned by an arm injury picked up by Shane Cunnane five minutes after his introduction.
In Group B — which has been widely described as the Group of Death — last year’s beaten finalists Pádraig Pearses hit the ground running with a fine second-half performance to run out 2-17 to 0-12 victors against Roscommon Gaels at Woodmount.
The visitors led 0-8 to 0-6 at half time, thanks to a couple of two-pointers from Senan Lambe and Richard Walsh, while Jack Tumulty hit the crossbar for Pearses.
Early second-half points from Paul Carey and Tumulty signalled Pearses’ intent. Then a brilliant run from Jack Nevin set up Carey for the game’s opening goal, and the home team never looked back.
Keelan Kelly pounced for a second goal to copperfasten Niall Murray’s side’s superiority and confirm a straightforward victory that didn’t look likely at half time.
Group C saw Oran make their customary strong start with a convincing 4-16 to 1-4 victory against a depleted Elphin at Rockfield.
Elphin were missing Shane Killoran and Gavan Murray, players that were central to their side’s recent O’Gara Cup success, but Oran still couldn’t have expected such an armchair ride.
After kicking three early wides, Pat Regan’s side took flight, scoring five unanswered points before captain Colin Walsh and James Fitzpatrick struck for two goals inside a minute.
Oran had a chance to get back into the game but John Finnerty’s penalty was saved by Shane Regan.
There was still time for Eoghan Murray to add a third Oran goal as the 2020 intermediate champions established an unassailable 3-6 to 0-2 lead at the change of ends.
A mistake by Regan gifted Frankie Cregg a goal for the visitors in the 51st minute, but Oran struck back immediately as Walsh bagged his second goal to leave his side 21-point winners at the final whistle.
Group A of the McNulty’s Furniture Intermediate Football Championship saw St. Dominic’s claim a notable scalp on the road, ousting Tulsk by 1-12 to 0-11.
Christopher Feerick’s seventh minute goal was ultimately the crucial score of the game.
Two-point efforts from Jack Lohan and Eoin McCormack pushed Dominic’s 1-5 to 0-3 ahead at the end of the first quarter.
Goalkeeper Seán Martin kicked a two-point free to end 19 scoreless minutes for Tulsk and reduce Dominic’s lead to four points at the break.
Daire Keenan kept the scoreboard ticking over for Dominic’s in the second half, kicking five out of his side’s six points.
Kieran Donoghue registered Tulsk’s only score from play in the second half, while Thomas O’Rourke tagged on a few frees.
But Dominic’s were full value for their impressive four-point win.
In Group C, Fuerty produced a terrific first-half display to avenge last year’s opening round defeat against Éire Óg this time last year with a 0-20 to 1-7 triumph in Mulhern Park.
While Cormac Lavin, Cian Murray and Shane McAndrew were first among equals, it was an outstanding team display by a well-drilled Fuerty team.
Their forwards ran riot in a first half during which they dominated both kickouts and hit 0-17, including four two-pointers.
A shellshocked Éire Óg never looked like getting back into the match in the second half, despite having wind advantage.
The first score of the second half didn’t arrive until the 49th minute, and even a Pádraig Doory goal couldn’t disguise the gap between the teams.
