Sun, 30 Aug, 2026 - 18:07

Glaveys edge out Western Gaels to make knockout stages of senior football championship

The group stages of the Roscommon SFC and IFC have now been completed, with teams destined for the quarter-finals, play-offs and relegation play-offs confirmed.

Ian Cooney

Michael Glaveys just about kept Western Gaels at bay to secure a 0-15 to 0-13 victory in Group A of the Hodson Bay Group Senior Football Championship, and ensure their place in the play-offs where they will face Elphin for a quarter-final berth.

For Western Gaels, it was a familiar feeling of heading for the relegation play-offs, having survived the last five on the trot, where they will be joined by St. Faithleach’s and Clann na nGael.

In the end, Glaveys’ four-point half-time lead was needed in the face of a brave Western Gaels effort that just came up short.

The sides were tied at 0-3 apiece, as James McDonnell and Finbarr Cregg (free) were on target for Western Gaels.

But Glaveys hit five of the last six points, with Darragh Heneghan kicking three of them, to lead 0-8 to 0-4 at the change of ends.

Finbarr Cregg kicked 0-3 on the resumption, including a two-pointer, to leave the bare minimum between them.

But Tiernan Murphy’s two-pointer kept Glaveys’ noses in front in what was a rollercoaster second half.

A two-pointer from Cathal Cregg left Western Gaels within striking distance but they couldn’t draw level, and Michael Glaveys held on.

In the battle for top spot in the group, St. Brigid’s and Strokestown played out a cracking game in Strokestown.

The home side’s efficiency in front of goal was off the charts, but they still couldn’t prevent the visitors coming away with a 0-17 to 0-16 victory and the luxury of being seeded for the quarter-finals.

Strokestown’s tally included six two-pointers from just 12 attempts on goal.

Once again, Ben O’Carroll was St. Brigid’s main threat with 0-5 from play, while Bobby Nugent, making his first championship start of the season, also hit 0-5, including 0-4 from play.

The home side surged 0-6 to 0-2 in front, thanks to a couple of two-pointers from Diarmuid McGann (free) and Shane McGinley.

But Brigid’s hit the next seven scores in succession, helped by a couple of excellent scores from Senan Kilbride, but two outstanding two-pointers from Cathal Lavin and Mikey Kavanagh left it 0-10 apiece at the break.

After 35 minutes, it was 0-12 to 0-11 in Strokestown’s favour, thanks to another orange flag from Lavin.

But Brigid’s regained control of the game and went 0-17 to 0-13 in front over the next 20 minutes, and although Strokestown had one last kick in them, it wasn’t enough to win the game.

Cormac Lavin and his Fuerty team-mates earned a draw against St. Croan's, making sure they still have a pulse in this year's intermediate football championship. Picture: Gerard O'Loughlin

In Group C of the McNulty’s Furniture Intermediate Football Championship, there was a dramatic ending in Enfield as substitute Owen Rogers’ free in the fifth minute of injury time threw Fuerty a championship lifeline.

A St. Croan’s win would have catapulted last year’s Junior A champions into the knockout stages and left Fuerty facing a relegation battle, but Rogers held his nerve from a 35-metre free to rescue a draw for Tony Brennan’s side, 1-11 to 0-14.

Aidan Brogan caused consternation on the edge of the square for the home side, hitting four first-half points, including two from play.

But Philip Neilan’s second-minute goal was the defining score of the opening half as Fuerty held a slender 1-4 to 0-6 interval advantage.

The lead swapped hands numerous times during a tension-filled second half but a two-point free from Brogan alongside two singles, to bring his tally to 0-8, and a four-point haul from Cathal Connelly (including a two-pointer) looked to have done enough for Croan’s.

But Rogers held his nerve with the last meaningful play of the game, having kicked a point from play minutes earlier, to save Fuerty’s season, and send his side into the play-offs.

In the other game, Éire Óg confirmed top spot, and seeding for the quarter-finals, with a straightforward 1-16 to 0-8 victory against Kilmore in O’Rourke Park, Castlerea.

The absence of Caelen Bracken and Paul Garvey from the start was a blow to Kilmore’s chances, and Éire Óg duly took control by building up a 0-8 to 0-3 buffer at the break, thanks to 0-5 from Conor Cox.

A Jason Doory two-pointer embellished Éire Óg’s position further, and even though Aaron Cox nailed a couple of two-point frees for the North Roscommon side over the hour, Mark O’Brien’s goal ensured a comfortable afternoon at the office for Brendan Greene’s charges.

There was some consolation for Kilmore when word of the draw between St. Croan’s and Fuerty filtered through, meaning that they edged out Fuerty for second place on the head-to-head rule.

*Reports from Sunday’s four SFC and IFC games in Tuesday’s Roscommon Herald.

Hodson Bay Group SFC Group A

Winners: St. Brigid’s (seeded for quarter-finals)

Runners-up: Strokestown

Third: Michael Glaveys

Fourth: Western Gaels

Hodson Bay Group SFC Group B

Winners: Pádraig Pearses (seeded for quarter-finals)

Runners-up: Boyle

Third: Roscommon Gaels

Fourth: Clann na nGael

Hodson Bay Group SFC Group C