Roscommon cruise through to Mayo showdown
Roscommon's Darragh Heneghan scores a goal despite Joey Grace's best efforts. Picture: INPHO/Ed Mulholland.
Five first-half goals were the key components to enable Roscommon dismantle New York at Gaelic Park, ensuring there was no scare for the Rossies like the last time they visited The Bronx ten years ago.
The only sour note was a red card for Daire Cregg which, as it stands, will rule him out of the Connacht semi-final against Mayo.
Roscommon were out the gap at half time, leading by 5-11 to 1-4 at half time and allowing their sizeable support enjoy a stroll for their side.
There were a whopping 15 different scorers for a Roscommon side who at times cut through the New York defence at will.
Enda Smith had the ball in the net inside 20 seconds, and despite Jack McKenna replying for New York, after good work by the impressive Eoghan McElligot, the match soon turned very one-sided.
Roscommon had scored their five goals by the 27th minute as Rob Heneghan, Dylan Ruane, Darragh Heneghan and Eoin McCormack found the net.
The excellent Senan Lambe was thriving in the space being afforded to him, while Paddy Gavin was making some tidy tackles in defence that included one crunching shoulder.
Everything was going plain sailing from a Roscommon perspective until Cregg was shown a straight red card for an altercation with McElligot, a decision manager Mark Dowd confirmed they would review afterwards.
Keith Doyle and Senan Lambe, with the game’s only two-pointer, added their name to the scoresheet as Roscommon took a 19-point lead into the interval.
The second half was all about keeping the scoreboard ticking over from a Roscommon perspective.
Frank O’Reilly and Killian Butler grabbed some nice points for New York but points from Rob Heneghan, Darragh Heneghan, Diarmuid Murtagh, Conor Hand, Shane Cunnane, Paul Carey (free) and Enda Smith saw the Rossies cruise to victory and set up a Connacht semi-final against Mayo in Castlebar in two weeks’ time.
ROSCOMMON: C. Carroll (0-2, two ‘45s); P. Gavin, C. Keogh, E. McCormack (1-0); E. Ward (0-1), R. Daly, S. Lambe (0-2, one 0-2); K. Doyle (0-1), C. Ryan (0-1); D. Ruane (1-1), E. Smith (1-2), D. Heneghan (1-1); D. Murtagh (0-2, one free), D. Cregg (0-3, one free), R. Heneghan (1-2). Subs used: C. Hand (0-1) for D. Heneghan (43 mins), C. Neary for Lambe (45 mins), N. Higgins for Gavin (48 mins), S. Cunnane (0-2) for Doyle (50 mins), P. Carey (0-1, one free) for Murtagh (58 mins).
NEW YORK: J. Grace; T. O’Riordan, S. Wilson, C. O’Dea; J. Foley (0-1), M. Queenan, R. Wharton; E. McElligot, C. Kennedy; D. Hunt, F. O’Reilly (0-4, two frees), T. Mathers; C. Keenan (0-2), J. McKenna (1-1, one mark), K. Butler (0-2). Subs used: J. Walsh for Foley (30 mins), J. Savage for Mathers (half-time), S. Brosnan for O’Riordan (half-time), D. Naughten for Hunt (52 mins), J. Kennedy for Keenan (59 mins).
Referee: B. Cawley (Kildare).
