Senior football championship’s great survivors prove their worth once more

Western Gaels — the great survivors of the Hodson Bay Group Roscommon Senior Football Championship — will play top-flight football once again in 2027 after deservedly getting the better of St. Faithleach’s, 2-16 to 1-14, in Tulsk on Saturday evening.

For the last six seasons, the Frenchpark-based club have been in relegation trouble, but each time they’ve managed to navigate their ship towards calmer waters.

On this occasion, they’ve done it with a game to spare.

The winners raced 0-4 to 0-1 ahead inside eight minutes — thanks to a two-point free by Patrick Gaynor and a couple of frees from Finbar Cregg.

Suddenly, St. Faithleach’s starting playing. Led by Ciaráin Murtagh, they hit 1-6 without reply — the goal coming in the 14th minute from David Rooney.

But Western Gaels settled again and a couple of points from Luke Hester and Cathal Cregg left Gerard Nolan’s side just 1-9 to 0-10 behind at the break.

In the second half, Western Gaels showed more spirit and heart, and the scores began to flow.

St. Faithleach’s were too reliant on Ciaráin Murtagh to pull them out of the hole they found themselves in, and with the usual suspects — the Cregg brothers, Seán McDermott and James McDonnell — leading by example, Western Gaels duly snapped their opponents’ feeble resistance.

Oran Hester pounced for a goal in the 41st minute, and when wing-back David Higgins found the net again six minutes from time, Western Gaels had completed their “Great Escape” once more.

For Faithleach’s, they now face Clann na nGael to see who is relegated to next year’s intermediate football championship in what will be a battle between last season’s two beaten semi-finalists.

Earlier in the day, Michael Glaveys became the seventh team to reach the quarter-finals with a hard-earned 0-16 to 2-8 victory against Elphin in O’Rourke Park, Castlerea.

Three two-pointers in the opening half from Caoileann Fitzmaurice and Daniel Hagney (one from play and one from a free) were the crucial scores in establishing a 0-10 to 0-4 interval lead.

The winners pushed that buffer out to seven points on the resumption but two quick-fire goals from Evan Gunn (see below) and Cillian Fox threw Elphin a lifeline.

But a couple of late points for Glaveys sealed the deal, as they booked their place in the last eight where they will play either Boyle or Oran.

*Reports from Saturday evening’s games in Tuesday’s Roscommon Herald.

Evan Gunn take a bow! 🤩🔥

What a finish by Gunn and it's just what Elphin needed@ElphinGAAClub | #ClubberTV 📺 pic.twitter.com/U4ayBZYcOE

— Clubber (@clubber) September 5, 2026