Roscommon soundly beaten but positives to take
Keelan Ryan scored a point for Roscommon in their Christy Ring Cup defeat to Kerry
In the end, it was a 13 point loss for Roscommon. Their biggest margin of defeat for them this year. It meant a fourth successive loss in a row and just one win in their last six games.
Despite the 13 point final margin, there were arguably more positives than drawbacks to take from this. Roscommon showed no shortage of spirit against a Kerry side who are firm favourites to win the Christy Ring Cup.
Roscommon’s opening half display was arguably their best half of hurling this year as they only trailed 1-15 to 1-10 at the break.
The fear was that Kerry would come alive and cover the 17 point handicap fairly comfortably, especially when Michael Slattery buried to the net after just 20 seconds. Cian Bowes and Eamonn Mulry scores helped Roscommon respond but Kerry appeared a few steps ahead as their slickness of passing and ability to punish any Roscommon errors, helped them race eight points clear.
Roscommon needed goals and a fair few breaks to fall their way if they were ever going to be within reach of causing an upset. Ultimately, they got both of those when Adam Donnelly’s long range shot was spilled by Kerry goalkeeper Conor Bohane into his own goal.
Jordan Brick’s five points from play in the first half and Keelan Ryan’s exceptional hook as the Kerry wing forward looked set to rattle the net showed the visitors’ menace. Roscommon and Seán Canning in particular carried a threat as he got two quickfire points, the first flying just over, instead of under the crossbar on a quick counter following Ryan’s crucial intervention.
Roscommon only trailed by three points early in the second half as Conor Morris (free) and Cian Murray slotted over a sublime score. But then Padraig Boyle struck and from there Kerry always had control.
He bagged a valuable goal when he gathered Bohane’s long range free and fired to the net, while enjoying an advantage for a penalty. That ultimately removed any notions of a shock result while he struck two more goals in a four minute spell late on, completing his hat trick just seconds after Cian Bowes was thwarted by Bohane.
Ultimately, Kerry continue on their merry way while for Roscommon, maintaining their opening half display will be crucial if they are to leapfrog Donegal, Wicklow or both in the table.
Plenty to build on but work to do yet.
*Full report in Tuesday’s Roscommon Herald*
