Breaking Ball – October 6th

McStay just a little bit longer!

Kevin McStay looks set to remain in charge of the Roscommon senior football team until 2020.

  The decision to grant the former St. Brigid’s manager another year in the hot seat was announced at a meeting of the Roscommon County Board last Wednesday week.

  McStay was appointed a year ago for a two-year term with the option of a third but following Roscommon’s Connacht Championship success in July it is thought he was keen to extend his time at the helm further.

Ladies take on Connacht!

Roscommon clubs are already in provincial action with the senior, intermediate and junior champions taking on the best Connacht has to offer. St. Mary’s of Tulsk overcame Bornacoola St. Mary’s of Leitrim in their Connacht Club Junior Quarter-Final last Saturday. The Tulsk girls will take on the Mayo representatives in the semi-final next weekend. No rest for the winners!

  Kilbride entertain provincial kingpins Cornacon of Mayo on Friday, October 13th in Kilbride while two days later, Western Gaels take on the Sligo champions away from home.

Bosses look ahead to final…

Roscommon Gaels and St. Brigid’s will compete for the Roscommon Senior Football Championship this year.

  Gaels’ manager, Liam McNeill, spoke to Seamus Duke after his charges booked their first county final spot in 13 years. He also took the opportunity to start the mind games nice and early!

  “It’s great for this group of players to win a knockout game and get into a county final. We were always able to get out of the group but when you come to knockout football you want to win and we were not able to do that until today and now the monkey is off our backs.

  “We are looking forward to the final. We are delighted to be there. We will go home now and dust ourselves down and get ready for it. I just hope we can keep the score to a little bit lower than we managed the last day against them,” he said.

  Brigid’s’ manager, Frankie Dolan, looked ahead to his second successive final following a tough battle with Western Gaels last Sunday.

  “I am very proud of the lads. There were a few harsh words in the dressing room at half-time and they came out and worked their socks off in the second half and we are delighted to be back in another final.

  “I am expecting a right good game in the final. The Gaels would have learned a lot from the game we played against them here a few weeks ago. The sides have not met in a final in the modern era so it is unique final and we will be looking forward to it. The Gaels have great players and a very good management team too so we will be expecting a huge challenge in that final,” he said graciously.

Shannon Gaels taste Tansey success

Shannon Gaels enjoyed a measure of compensation following a disappointing year when they beat St. Aidan’s in the AFL Division 3 Tansey Cup Final on a scoreline of 1-15 to 1-7 in Ballyforan last weekend.

  The game was deadlocked at the break with Johnny Coyne (1-3) grabbing a goal for Aidan’s after Shannon Gaels had started brightly.

  The Gaels improved in the second half and despite some wasteful finishing, they eventually pulled ahead. Late in the game Shannon Gaels were awarded a penalty and although Matthew McDermott’s initial effort was well saved by Nigel Kelly, McDermott (1-1) netted the rebound and a couple of late points sealed the deal for Shannon Gaels.

Castlerea storm to underage success

Castlerea St. Kevin’s blitzed Roscommon Gaels 5-14 to 1-11 in the U-16 Football Championship Division 2 Final last Saturday in Enfield.

  Goals from Shane Keenan and Padraig Joyce helped them to a 2-6 to 0-6 lead at half-time before the game opened up after the break.

  Joyce completed a hat-trick in the second half while Aaron McDermott made it five but the star of the show was Adam McDermott who hit ten points in what was a devastating Castlerea attacking display.