Smith salutes satisfactory evening’s work for Connacht
Roscommon senior footballer, Enda Smith, before this evening's game in Croke Park between Connacht and Leinster. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie
Roscommon All-Star Enda Smith has broadly welcomed Gaelic Football’s proposed new rules as Connacht qualified for Saturday evening’s interprovincial final against Ulster following a facile victory against Leinster at Croke Park on Friday evening.
The FRC’s (Football Review Committee) proposed rules changes were exposed to the general public for the first time as Connacht, managed by Galway’s Padraic Joyce and featuring a host of Roscommon players, easily accounted for their eastern neighbours on a scoreline of 4-21 to 1-11.
Smith was central to Connacht’s prosperity early on, while Ciaráin Murtagh came off the bench and accounted for his province’s third goal, fuelling speculation that he may be in line for a return to the Roscommon senior football panel in 2025.
“From a Connacht point of view, it was very enjoyable,” Smith told GAA.ie afterwards.
“We got off to a fast start. For lads that only met there last week, we were quite fluid. Some of the score-taking and things you like to see in the GAA — we tried to push for long kickouts, we tried to kick the ball whenever we could. For a lot of it, it was quite good. From our point of view, we were very happy with it and we’re satisfied with the win.
“It was fast-paced. It wasn’t quite like a basketball game because, at times, you still had that bit of control. But from our point of view, every time we got a turnover it was a case of move the ball as quickly as we can, and try and do a lot of kicking. It was probably a bit more fast-paced than what we’re used to.”
Asked what he liked about the proposed rule changes, Smith said: “I do like the 3 v 3. Tonight, you didn’t see a lot of tap and go or the inside mark.
“But the 3 v 3 is a brilliant one. As a forward and an attacking player, when there are a lot of 1 v 1s when you’re the attacking team, there’s a lot more space to create more chances. For me, that’s the one I really like.”
Roscommon players (scores in brackets) Brian Stack, Enda Smith, Diarmuid Murtagh (0-4, 2pts, 1f), Daire Cregg (0-2, 1f), Conor Carroll, Ruaidhrí Fallon, Shane Cunnane, Ultan Harney, Conor Cox (0-2), Donie Smith (0-1, 1f) and Ciaráin Murtagh (1-0) featured during this evening’s game.
In the other semi-final, Ulster defeated Munster by 0-23 to 2-11.
