ROSCOMMON’S FIRST LEAGUE win over Galway in 19 years has secured promotion to the top flight along with the Tribesmen after a deserved and impressive win at Hyde Park.
The teams will get to do it all over again in the Division 2 final next Sunday in Croke Park when Galway, the only unbeaten team in the country going into this one, will be back to full strength after resting several players.
Roscommon were fired up from the start and used the wind superbly, delivering quick ball into an attack that was full of movement and by half-time they were full value for their 1-14 to 0-6.
John McVitty / INPHO
John McVitty / INPHO / INPHO
Ciarain Murtagh, Donie Smith, Conor Cox and Cian McKeon led the scoring as they tormented the Galway defence.
A black card to Galway wing-back Cathal Sweeney when he pulled down Murtagh after 19 minutes was decisive as Roscommon used the extra man to pull away.
Roscommon led by 0-6 to 0-4 at that stage and proceeded to add 1-6 while they had the extra man with Cox firing over a free and one from play and then Murtagh kicking three in row from play, much to the joy of the huge home following.
Galway midfielder Niall Daly had stemmed an early Roscommon when he kicked two excellent points from distance to reduce the margin to 0-5 to 0-4 at the end of the opening quarter but by half-time, Dessie Conneely was the only forward to find the target.
The Roscommon onslaught inevitably led to a goal when Cian McKeon exchanged points with Donie Smith before fisting to the net four minutes from the interval.
Galway hit back with Conneely and midfielder Matthew Tierney scoring but Roscommon went in on a high as Donie Smith and Cox landed excellent points to lead by eleven at the break.
Galway never looked like getting the goal they needed in the third quarter to mount a serious comeback and while they outscored Roscommon by 0-3 to 0-1 in the opening eight minutes, Cunningham’s men matched their next three points with scores of their own to lead by 1-18 to 0-12 going into the closing stages.
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Johnny Heaney blasted home a brilliant goal to the top left corner with five minutes remaining after Niall Daly had got his fifth point from play, but Cox put seven between them with his fourth point from play.
Both finished with 14 men when Cox and Sean Kelly picked up black cards in stoppage time after a tussle.
Scorers for Roscommon: Conor Cox 0-8 (0-4), Cian McKeon 1-2, Donie Smith 0-4 (0-3f), Ciarain Murtagh (0-3), Enda Smith 0-1, Richard Hughes 0-1, Niall Kilroy 0-1.
Galway: Niall Daly 0-5, Dessie Conneely 0-4 (0-2f), Johnny Heaney 1-0, Matthew Tierney 0-1 (0-1f),Jack Glynn 0-1, Tony Gill 0-1, Cathal Sweeney 0-1, Liam Silke 0-1, Owen Gallagher 0-1.
Roscommon:
1 Colm Lavin (Eire Og)
2 David Murray (Padraig Pearses) 3 Brian Stack (St Brigids) 4 Eoin McCormack (St Dominics)
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Roscommon secure five-point win and promotion to set up rematch in league final
Roscommon 1-20
Galway 1-15
John Fallon reports from Hyde Park
ROSCOMMON’S FIRST LEAGUE win over Galway in 19 years has secured promotion to the top flight along with the Tribesmen after a deserved and impressive win at Hyde Park.
The teams will get to do it all over again in the Division 2 final next Sunday in Croke Park when Galway, the only unbeaten team in the country going into this one, will be back to full strength after resting several players.
Roscommon were fired up from the start and used the wind superbly, delivering quick ball into an attack that was full of movement and by half-time they were full value for their 1-14 to 0-6.
Ciarain Murtagh, Donie Smith, Conor Cox and Cian McKeon led the scoring as they tormented the Galway defence.
A black card to Galway wing-back Cathal Sweeney when he pulled down Murtagh after 19 minutes was decisive as Roscommon used the extra man to pull away.
Roscommon led by 0-6 to 0-4 at that stage and proceeded to add 1-6 while they had the extra man with Cox firing over a free and one from play and then Murtagh kicking three in row from play, much to the joy of the huge home following.
Galway midfielder Niall Daly had stemmed an early Roscommon when he kicked two excellent points from distance to reduce the margin to 0-5 to 0-4 at the end of the opening quarter but by half-time, Dessie Conneely was the only forward to find the target.
The Roscommon onslaught inevitably led to a goal when Cian McKeon exchanged points with Donie Smith before fisting to the net four minutes from the interval.
Galway hit back with Conneely and midfielder Matthew Tierney scoring but Roscommon went in on a high as Donie Smith and Cox landed excellent points to lead by eleven at the break.
Galway never looked like getting the goal they needed in the third quarter to mount a serious comeback and while they outscored Roscommon by 0-3 to 0-1 in the opening eight minutes, Cunningham’s men matched their next three points with scores of their own to lead by 1-18 to 0-12 going into the closing stages.
Johnny Heaney blasted home a brilliant goal to the top left corner with five minutes remaining after Niall Daly had got his fifth point from play, but Cox put seven between them with his fourth point from play.
Both finished with 14 men when Cox and Sean Kelly picked up black cards in stoppage time after a tussle.
Scorers for Roscommon: Conor Cox 0-8 (0-4), Cian McKeon 1-2, Donie Smith 0-4 (0-3f), Ciarain Murtagh (0-3), Enda Smith 0-1, Richard Hughes 0-1, Niall Kilroy 0-1.
Galway: Niall Daly 0-5, Dessie Conneely 0-4 (0-2f), Johnny Heaney 1-0, Matthew Tierney 0-1 (0-1f),Jack Glynn 0-1, Tony Gill 0-1, Cathal Sweeney 0-1, Liam Silke 0-1, Owen Gallagher 0-1.
Roscommon:
1 Colm Lavin (Eire Og)
2 David Murray (Padraig Pearses) 3 Brian Stack (St Brigids) 4 Eoin McCormack (St Dominics)
5 Richard Hughes (Roscommon Gaels) 6 Niall Daly (Padraig Pearses) 7 Ronan Daly (Padraig Pearses)
8 Ultan Harney (Clann na nGael) 9 Eddie Nolan (St Brigids)
10 Ciarain Murtagh (St Faithleachs) 11 Enda Smith (Boyle) 12 Cathal Heneghan (Michael Glaveys)
13 Cian McKeon (Boyle) 14 Donie Smith (Boyle) 15 Conor Cox (Eire Og)
Substitutes:
21 Niall Kilroy (Fuerty) for Heneghan (53)
23 Keith Doyle (St Dominics) for Nolan (53)
26 Diarmuid Murtagh (St Faithleachs) for McKeon (57)
19 Conor Hussey (Michael Glaveys) for N Daly (61)
25 Conor Daly (Padraig Pearses) for Harney (63)
Galway:
1 Conor Flaherty (Claregalway)
2 Sean Fitzgerald (Barna) 3 Kieran Molloy (Corofin) 4 Jack Glynn (Claregalway)
5 Tony Gill (Corofin) 6 Sean Kelly (Moycullen) 7 Cathal Sweeney (Salthill/Knocknacarra)
8 Matthew Tierney (Oughterard) 9 Niall Daly (Kilconly)
10 Finnian O Laoi (An Spideal) 11 Paul Kelly (Moycullen) 12 Johnny Heaney (Killannin)
13 Dylan Canney (Corofin) 14 Eoin Finnerty (Mountbellew-Moylough) 15 Dessi Conneely (Moycullen)
Substitutes:
19 Dylan McHugh (Corofin) for O Laoi (29)
24 Owen Gallagher (Moycullen) for Finnerty (31)
18 Liam Silke (Corofin) for Sweeney (half-time)
21 James McLoughlin (Moycullen) for P Kelly (48)
26 Cormac McWalter (Tuam Stars) for Canney (59)
Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Tipperary).
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GAA Gaelic Football Galway Hyde Park Roscommon