Roscommon minor footballers get the better of Galway
Eoin Collins and his Roscommon minor football team-mates enjoyed a superb win against Galway at Dr. Hyde Park this evening. Picture: David Farrell Photography
A rare win in the provincial minor football championship against Galway, and it felt good on an evening when the few hundred spectators in attendance got a glimpse of the "new" Dr. Hyde Park.
This was a Roscommon performance not without its faults, but it was a thoroughly deserved victory for James Duignan's men.
Alan Conroy's early goal laid an early platform and Roscommon made the most of Galway's wastefulness in front of goal to pick up a valuable victory that repaired the damage done by last week's loss to a Kobe McDonald-inspired Mayo.
The home sie made a brisk start and were nourished by Conroy’s superbly-crafted goal after only five minutes.
Midfielder Michael Leahy got Galway off the mark with a point but Roscommon continued to play the more constructive football, with Shay McGuinness an effective target man on the edge of the square.
The Clann na nGael player fisted a point before Colin Murray and Declan Kennedy added further scores to leave it 1-3 to 0-1 in Roscommon’s favour at the end of the first quarter.
Galway finally started to gain some traction around the middle and were rewarded with a couple of frees by Killian Joyce and another by Niall de Paor who had been denied by Roscommon goalkeeper, Patrick Gaynor, earlier in the half.
By the midway mark, Roscommon were three points to the good after another smart score by McGuinness to leave James Duignan’s side 1-4 to 0-4 ahead.
Two quick points from Galway defenders Donnacha Naughton and Cian Rafferty breathed fresh life into the visitors’ challenge but Roscommon settled again through frees from Dean Casey and Dara Curran, before Curran landed an inspiration score to leave four between them at the three quarter-stage.
A goal by Galway substitute David Kilraine was a boost to Galway but points from Keelan Kelly and Cathal Enright left Roscommon within sight of the winning post.
Another Galway substitute Seán O’Callaghan left two between them but Eoin Collins — one of Roscommon’s stars on the evening — kicked what turned out to be the insurance point to seal a famous win for the Rossies.
A big win against Leitrim in the Connacht U-20 championship followed by a three-point win against Galway at minor level.
It has been a good week so far. Over to you seniors!
ROSCOMMON: P. Gaynor; L. Finneran, G. Casey, M. Connaughton; A. Conroy (1-0), K. Kelly (0-1), C. Murray (0-1); D. Devaney, D. Kennedy (0-1); D Casey (0-1, a free), E. Collins (0-1), C. Enright (0-1); D. Curran (0-2, one free), S. Tighe, S. McGuinness (0-2). Subs used: J. McKeon for Enright (28 mins, blood sub), S. McDonnell for Tighe (half-time), J. McKeon for Conroy (40 mins), C. Mulry for Enright (51 mins), S. Malec Hannon for McGuinness (54 mins), C. Kennedy for Casey (60 mins).
GALWAY: J. King; D. Naughton (0-1), S. Martyn, E. Forde; C. Rafferty (0-1), T. Proulx, B. O’Malley; R. McGrath, M. Leahy (0-1); R. Duggan, K. Joyce (0-1, a free), C. Killeen; S. Costello, N. de Paor (0-2, both frees), L. Dempsey. Subs used: D. Kilraine (1-0) for Duggan (half-time), S. O’Callaghan (0-1) for de Paor (50 mins), S. Rabbitt for O’Malley (45 mins), J. O’Sullivan for Leahy (51 mins), E. Cunningham for Naughton (54 mins).
Referee: P. Lydon (Mayo).
