Roscommon CBS take control to oust Scoil Mhuire and claim provincial honours

Roscommon CBS are Connacht Colleges B football champions for the first time in six years after getting the better of Scoil Mhuire, Strokestown, in perfect conditions at Enfield on Saturday afternoon.

Eoghan Coll and Noel Moran’s side absorbed the shock of conceding a goal inside the opening minute to show their greater quality and prevail by 0-13 to 1-6, thanks to five points apiece from Owen Rogers and Sam Hannon.

Conor Tighe’s well-worked goal after only 50 seconds was the early fillip Scoil Mhuire needed, and they were arguably the better team for the opening 20 minutes with Tadhg Rogers, Darragh Devaney, Cathal Enright and Stephen Tighe doing well.

But CBS began to dominate, with Colin Murray a livewire at wing-back, and it took a spectacular block from Scoil Mhuire full-back Dylan Tynan to deny the St. Ciaran’s defender what looked like a certain goal.

At half time, Scoil Mhuire were 1-3 to 0-4 ahead but by the time they scored again, CBS had well and truly taken the initiative.

A score from Tom Biesty, a hat-trick of scores from Hannon, and one of the points of the afternoon from Rogers left CBS 0-10 to 1-3 ahead after 49 minutes.

True to Scoil Mhuire’s nature, they didn’t give up but the revivals that had nourished them in previous games weren’t in the script this time around as Rogers’ fifth point of the afternoon in injury time confirmed a four-point win for the Roscommon Town-based school who will now meet Leinster opposition in the All-Ireland semi-final in a few weeks' time.

Roscommon CBS scorers: Owen Rogers (0-5, 0-2f), Sam Hannon (0-5, 0-4f), Freddie Kelly (0-1), Colm Fitzgerald (0-1), Tom Biesty (0-1).

Scoil Mhuire Strokestown scorers: Stephen Tighe (0-4, 0-2f), Conor Tighe (1-0), Cathal Enright (0-1), Darragh Devaney (0-1). 

Match report, reaction and pictures in Tuesday’s Roscommon Herald