Roscommon SFC semi-final line-up completed

By Ian Cooney

St. Brigid’s, Strokestown, Boyle and Pádraig Pearses are the final four teams standing in the Hodson Bay Group Roscommon Senior Football Championship following four intriguing quarter-finals over the weekend.

St. Brigid’s scored three second-half goals to see off Roscommon Gaels by 4-15 to 0-18 at Woodmount to remain on course to retain the Fahey Cup.

The reigning county and provincial champions hit 4-14 from play, with Ben O’Carroll chipping in with 1-5 and Conor Hand grabbing 1-3.

Damien Mulligan’s charges were 1-10 to 0-7 ahead at half time, with O’Carroll’s goal proving pivotal.

The Gaels made a positive start to the second half, with points from Rory Carthy, Eoghan Carthy and Peter Gillooly leaving just three points between the teams.

They could have been level, only for Conor Carroll to deny Rory Carthy with a smart save.

Brigid’s, who welcomed back Shane Cunnane for the second half, came down the other end and enjoyed a stroke of good fortune when Brian Stack’s effort, which looked to be going wide, deflected off Conor Grogan’s fingertips and ended up in the net.

To the Gaels’ credit, they recovered with scores to leave it 2-10 to 0-14, thanks to a two-pointer from half-time substitute Sam Hannon.

However, goals from Conor Hand and Charlie O’Carroll sealed Brigid’s place in the last four where they will play Strokestown.

Earlier on Sunday, goals were also pivotal as Boyle got the better of Oran, 3-17 to 0-19, in Orchard Park, Elphin, to set up a last four meeting against Pádraig Pearses in two weeks’ time.

Cormac Regan’s early two-pointer gave the underdogs an early boost, but Cathal Feely’s goal in the 16th minute ensured that Boyle were ahead at the break, 1-6 to 0-7.

Cian McKeon was superb for Boyle in the second half, scoring a 45th minute goal on his way to 1-3 from play, while Tadhg McKenna also impressed at wing-back.

A couple of two-pointers from Darragh Walsh in quick succession left Oran very much in the hunt at the three-quarter stage as they trailed by just three points.

Just when it looked like Oran were well-positioned to make their bid for a big win, Boyle killed off the game through Roch Hanmore’s 51st minute goal, and Fergal O’Donnell’s side duly closed out the game comfortable to seal a seven-point win.

On Saturday afternoon, Pádraig Pearses took advantage of Michael Glaveys’ wastefulness in front of goal to secure a flattering 3-17 to 1-13 victory, after extra-time, in Lisnamult.

The story of this game came down to efficiency, with Pearses not registering a single wide in over 80 minutes of action comparted to Glaveys’ 13.

Darragh Heneghan’s third minute goal gave Glaveys a dream start with the wind behind them, and a two-pointer by his brother Cathal embellished that early prosperity.

Pearses were back on level terms by the time David Murray palmed the ball to the net in the tenth minute, and even though Caoileann Fitzmaurice, Cathal Heneghan and Dylan Ruane added to their side’s tally, a series of missed two-point attempts meant that a 1-6 to 1-2 interval lead hardly reflected Glaveys’ dominance.

Early points from Robert Heneghan (free) and wing-back Dylan Connolly extended that buffer further, but Pearses awoke from their slumber and began to play, with Eoin Colleran’s two-pointer in the 49th minute bringing them level.

Caelim Keogh and Colleran added further points, but the excellent Niall Heneghan had the final say to bring the game to extra time.

Two-pointers from Paul Carey and Colleran gave last year’s beaten finalists momentum, and when Jack Nevin and substitute John Price added goals in the second period of extra time, Michael Glaveys’ resistance had finally snapped.

On Friday evening, Strokestown used all their big-game experience to prove too strong against Castlerea St. Kevin’s with a 1-15 to 1-9 victory in difficult conditions in Ballyforan.

Despite missing David Neary and Shane McGinley, last year’s Roscommon and Connacht intermediate champions built up an early lead and remained in control of their own destiny.

Colm Neary opened the scoring, and when Diarmuid McGann and Cathal Lavin nailed a couple of two-pointers, the ‘Town had opened up a 0-6 to 0-1 lead.

Despite missing a penalty, John Curran and Darren McDermott (free) helped Castlerea stay within reach but Strokestown struck a decisive blow when Neary embarked on an incisive run before squaring possession for Mikey Kavanagh to find the net.

A 1-8 to 0-6 half-time buffer was extended further when goalkeeper Niall Curley scored his side’s third two-pointer from a long-range free.

Castlerea ignited hopes of a comeback with three scores in a row midway through the second half — the final one coming from Jack Keane.

Kevin Finn and Diarmuid McGann frees appeared to quash Castlerea’s hopes, but the West Roscommon side received a lifeline when substitute Aaron McDermott managed to force the ball over the line in the 57th minute.

Still, Strokestown weren’t rattled, and when Seán McDonnell scored his third point of the evening, Pearse McGinley’s side were on their way to the last four.

Hodson Bay Group Senior Football Championship Semi-Finals

Pádraig Pearses v Boyle

St. Brigid’s v Strokestown

*Games to be played over weekend October 2/3/4.