First-half stroll secures Roscommon victory

Roscommon 1-21 

Sligo 0-15 

FBD Insurance Connacht Senior Football Quarter-Final 

Roscommon applied the after-burners in the opening 35 minutes to put this evening's FBD Insurance Connacht senior football quarter-final out of Sligo's reach at the University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome.

Davy Burke's men were extremely efficient in putting the Yeats County to the sword and building up a 12-point interval advantage, but nobody will be losing the run of themselves after a less assured second-half performance where they were outscored by the opposition who made 11 substitutions during the game, including six, all at one time, in the 32nd minute.

On an evening when Jack Duggan, son of former Roscommon forward Derek, marked his Roscommon debut with 0-2 from play and Declan Kenny produced an assured performance in the half-back line, the Rossies' big-hitters eased their way into the new season.

Daire Cregg’s 26th minute goal embellished a productive opening 35 minutes from the "Primrose and Blue" as they laid the platform for victory with a 1-13 0-4 advantage at the break.

But Sligo's new players made a difference, especially in the second half when the Yeats County was far more competitive.

Roscommon moved through the gears early on with Diarmuid Murtagh and Cregg to the fore in the scoring stakes.

Duggan got in on the act too with a point after Sligo goalkeeper Aidan Devaney had denied Senan Lambe.

When Evan Lyons was shown a black card for pulling down Cathal Heneghan, Roscommon made their numerical advantage count and hit 1-5 without reply.

Cregg grabbed the goal after neatly tucking away Enda Smith’s pass from the right wing.

With both sides using a raft of substitutions, Sligo’s new kids on the block fared better, with David Quinn and Mickey Gordon making an impression with some eyecatching scores from play.

Alan McLoughlin landed four second-half points as well, including three frees, but Sligo had left themselves with too much to do, although they hit 14 wides during the game compared to Roscommon’s four.

The Rossies kept the scoreboard ticking over with substitute Conor Cox converting a brace of frees for a straightforward victory and a place in the semi-final against Mayo or London on Saturday week.

Scorers – Roscommon: D Cregg 1-3 (0-3f), D Smith (3f), D Murtagh (4f) 0-5 each, C Heneghan, J Duggan, C Cox (2f) 0-2 each, C Connolly, E Smith 0-1 each Sligo: L Deignan (1f, 1 ’45), A McLoughlin (3f) 0-4 each, D Quinn 0-2, A Reilly, D Boyle (1f), P Laffey, C Marren, M Gordon 0-1 each.

Roscommon – C Lavin; L Glennon, E Flynn, S Lambe; C Keogh, C Walsh, D Kenny; N Daly, E Smith; D Cregg, D Smith, C Connolly; D Murtagh, C Heneghan, J Duggan. Subs: N Higgins for Keogh (32), R Daly for Cregg (32), C Hussey for Walsh (h-t), C Cox for Murtagh (41), E McCormack for N Daly (44), D Murray for Walsh (47), P Gavin for Glennon (49), D Ruane for D Smith (62).

Sligo – A Devaney; L Casserly, E Lyons, P McNamara; D Walsh, C Mulligan, M Walsh; P O’Connor, J Keaney; C Lally, A Reilly, K Cawley; O Flynn, D Boyle, L Deignan. Subs: B Cox for Casserly (32), J Lavin for Mulligan (32), L Towey for M Walsh (32), E Smith for Flynn (32), P Laffey for O’Connor (32), D Quinn for Cawley (32), C Marren for Keaney (h-t), O McCann for McNamara (h-t), M Gordon for Lally (h-t), A McLoughlin for Reilly (h-t), K Harte for Devaney (44).

Ref – S Corcoran (Mayo).