County hurlers must settle for place in Connacht Shield final
There was disappointment for Mickey Joe Egan and the Roscommon senior hurlers on Wednesday evening.
The Roscommon senior hurlers will return to the University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome on Saturday next, but it will be for the Connacht Hurling League Shield final after they were edged out by Mayo at the same venue on Wednesday evening.
After a smash and grab raid against Sligo two days earlier, they remained in touch here, giving themselves every chance to pull the rug from under Mayo’s feet at the death as they trailed by just a point. But lightning didn’t strike twice as Mayo, who were still missing a hefty contingent of their Tooreen players, prevailed by four points.
Once again, Mickey Joe Egan was among the Rossies’ star players, lapping up the acreage in The Dome to land 0-7. Cormac Mulry’s goal towards the end of the opening half left Kevin Sammon’s side very much in contention but their reliance on Egan and Paddy Fallon for scores wasn’t enough.
With Cormac Phillips, Michael Farrell and Adrian Phillips in good scoring form, Mayo were 0-7 to 0-2 ahead after just 12 minutes.
The “Green and Red” maintained that advantage but Cormac Mulry’s 34th minute goal left Roscommon trailing by just three points, 0-13 to 1-7, at the break.
After 48 minutes, Mayo had pushed their lead out to six points, thanks to scores from Ballyhaunis trio Cormac Phillips, Diarmuid Phillips and Michael Farrell (free).
Roscommon suffered a blow when they lost Robbie Fallon to a red card, but they still rallied with points Mickey Joe Egan and Seán Canning to leave themselves with every chance of another whirlwind finish.
But they ran out of road as Evan and John Heraty, and Michael Farrell’s tenth point of the evening, confirmed Mayo’s place in the Cup final.
Roscommon will now play the losers of this evening’s other semi-final between Galway Development and New York in Saturday evening’s Shield final in The Dome at 5 p.m..
MAYO: D. Freyne; L. Connor, D. Hill, C. Murray; M. Connor, E. Collins (0-1), S. Crinnigan; J. Heraty (0-2), A. Phillips (0-4); J. Burke, C. Phillips (0-4), S. Mulroy; M. Farrell (0-10), K. Gallagher, B. Sheridan. Subs: D. Phillips (0-1) for Sheridan (half-time); E. Heraty (0-1) for Mulroy (42 mins); C. Treacy for Burke (46 mins); R. Treacy for Hill (55 mins); R. Fallon for Gallagher (55 mins); A. McGing for A. Phillips (60 mins).
ROSCOMMON: E. Lawless; M. Ward, J. Dillon, T. Fleming; S. Canning (0-1), J. Hoey, J. Dowling; M.J. Egan (0-7), D. Finn; F. Killion, A. Donnelly, P. Fallon (0-7); C. Geraghty, L. Óg Coyle, C. Mulry (1-0). Subs: R. Fallon (0-1) for Óg Coyle (half-time), D. Leonard for Geraghty (half-time); C. Dowd for Finn (36 mins; J. Naughton for P. Fallon (56 mins); B. Mulry for C. Mulry (60 mins); C. Crehan for Dowling (60 mins).
Referee: D. Earls (Galway).
