Faithleach’s steal the show in opening round of senior football championship

St. Faithleach’s and Michael Glaveys reminded everyone why they reached the last four of the 2024 Hodson Bay Hotel Group Roscommon Senior Football Championship with big opening round triumphs on Friday evening.

St. Faithleach’s produced the result of the evening, humbling county champions Pádraig Pearses by 1-14 to 0-12 in Ballyleague.

On an evening where the home club honoured its heroes from 1965 who won its only senior football championship, the class of 2025 marked the 60th anniversary of that success with a memorable victory.

The sides were level, 0-5 apiece, at the break, but Pearses, who were missing the likes of Niall Daly, Conor Daly, Niall Carty, Calem Keogh and Eoin Colleran, had missed a hatful of chances with a strong wind behind them.

In the second half, St. Faithleach’s began to believe, and couple of two-pointers from Ciaráin Murtagh and Diarmuid Murtagh (free) edged them ahead.

Then, with six minutes remaining, David Rooney applied the coup-de-grace with the game’s only goal to confirm his side as deserving winners.

The other game in the group saw Clann na nGael make home advantage count against St. Dominic’s in Johnstown as Pat Fallon’s charges registered a 2-12 to 1-8 victory.

A cagey start evaporated somewhat when Oisín O’Flaherty landed a two-pointer for the home side, but Dominic’s took over, aided by a two-pointer from play by Roscommon midfielder, Keith Doyle, to edge the visitors 0-6 to 0-4 ahead.

It could have been better for Tom Gately’s men but Clann goalkeeper, Declan McManus, made a big save to deny Jamie Tiernan.

The sides were level, 0-6 apiece, at the break, but two goals inside four minutes of the restart from Josh Lennon and Ciarán Lennon, from a penalty, catapulted the home side into the box seat.

It took St. Dominic’s 23 minutes to open their second-half account through Cian Kelly, and although Daire Keenan goaled superbly late on for the visitors, the scoring prowess of Ciarán Lennon and Josh Lennon — who hit 2-9 between them — was pivotal to the home side’s victory.

In Group B, Michael Glaveys put a disastrous league campaign behind them to run out deserving 1-20 to 2-15 winners against Western Gaels at Nash Park, Frenchpark.

Iain Daly’s side made a blistering start, and a couple of two-point frees from Dylan Ruane alongside points from play Robert Heneghan, Niall Heneghan, Cathal Heneghan (3) and Seán Brehony established a 0-11 to 1-3 buffer.

But the home side, aided by goalkeeper Patrick Gaynor’s tour-de-force from placed balls, responded by hitting 1-7 — the goal coming from Finbarr Cregg via the penalty spot.

Western Gaels stretched their five-point half-time lead to 2-13 to 0-13, thanks to Gaynor’s eighth point of the evening.

But Glaveys, who were ignited by the impact of Darragh Heneghan off the bench, were reborn, and when the substitute danced his way through the Western Gaels defence to find the net with four minutes remaining, they had turned things around, and they duly held on for a famous win.

In the other game in the group, St. Brigid’s, as expected, were much too good for last year’s intermediate champions, Elphin, at Orchard Park.

When Brian Stack set up Eddie Nolan for his side’s opening goal after three minutes, the die was cast.

However, Elphin, who lost Shane Killoran to an ankle injury, gave themselves a lifeline just before the break when Evan Gunn found the net.

But Anthony Cunningham’s men built on their 1-9 to 1-1 interval lead, and Ciarán Sugrue bagged St. Brigid’s second goal as they ran out comprehensive 2-21 to 1-5 winners.

Two goals from Cian McKeon and Enda Smith — the latter’s a superb individual effort — handed Boyle a 2-13 to 0-15 victory over last year’s beaten finalists, Roscommon Gaels, in their Group A encounter at Abbey Park.

The sides were level at the break, 1-6 to 0-9, but Smith’s defining moment allowed Eamonn O’Hara’s side turn the tide in their favour.

The other game in the group between Oran and Castlerea St. Kevin’s takes place in Rockfield on Sunday.

In the only game in the Ward Bros. sponsored intermediate football championship, last year’s defeated finalists Strokestown had 27 points to spare against Kilbride.

First-half goals from Cathal Lavin and Colin Compton procured a 2-8 to 0-3 lead for the visitors. Diarmuid McGann added a couple of second-half goals, while Colm Neary added another green flag.

Kevin Battles scored a consolation goal for Kilbride, but it failed to disguise the gulf in class between the teams as Strokestown romped to a 5-20 to 1-5 victory.

*Match reports from all six of this evening's games in Tuesday's Roscommon Herald