AIB Connacht Club JFC semi-final
Kiltimagh 2-11 St Croan’s 1-14
(Kiltimagh won 3-2 on penalties, after extra-time)
After a dramatic rally that saw them come from six points down with ten minutes to go in normal time, Roscommon junior champions St Croan’s were denied a place in the Connacht final in the cruellest way possible as they lost a penalty shootout in Ballyforan last Sunday to Mayo champions Kiltimagh.
It was a hard-fought contest all through. Kiltimagh were marginally the better side in the opening half, and a goal from Paul Kelly helped them into a 1-6 to 0-5 half-time lead.
Croan’s were better on the restart and three points without reply had them back to within a point. But when Fionnan Burke scored a second goal for Kiltimagh the Roscommon team were in trouble, now down 2-8 to 0-8.
Injured stars Ross Timothy and Greg Grogan were on the field and the Roscommon champions refused to surrender. Keith Muldoon pointed a free and then substitute Callum Pacey bundled home a goal to reduce the margin to two with six minutes left.
A point from play from Ger Connaughton and a converted free from Keith Muldoon in the 7th minute of injury-time saw the sides level at 2-8 to 1-11. With the teams level on full-time, the game went to extra-time.
Mike Holland, who had a superb game for the Roscommon champions, made two excellent saves in extra-time before converted frees from Muldoon and Aidan Brogan saw St Croan’s move ahead by a point at the break.
St Croan’s led into injury-time at the end of extra-time but Thomas Keegan’s point from play for the Mayo side levelled the scores again, meaning the outcome would have to be decided by the dreaded penalty shootout.
St Croan’s scored their first two penalties – with Ger Connaughton and Alan Conroy on the mark – but the Roscommon men missed their next four spot-kicks and it was Fionnan Burke who put his side through to the final against Aughavas of Leitrim.
St Croan’s: Mike Holland; Ryan Hanley (0-1), Brendan Pacey, Ger Connaughton (0-1); Alan Conroy (0-1), Mark Kilcommins, Richie Thompson (0-2, 1 ’45); Adam Bracken, Eoin Collins; Adrian Collins (0-1), Freddie Kelly, Cathal Connelly; Keith Muldoon (0-5, 4 frees), Aidan Brogan (0-3), Kevin Lambert. Subs: Callum Pacey (1-0) for Kelly (27), Greg Grogan for Lambert (39), Ross Timothy for Connelly (51), Robbie Keenan for Timothy (64), Cathal Connelly for A Collins (71), Kevin Lambert for C Pacey (75), Brian Mullin for Keenan (80).
