TG4 LGFA All-Ireland IFC (Round 2)
Roscommon 2-13 Down 1-12
Seamus Duke in Enfield
Roscommon’s ladies footballers lifted some of the ‘GAA gloom’ in the county last weekend when they scored a fully deserved four-point win against Down in Enfield on Sunday to advance to the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
It’s a remarkable transformation for a team that was heavily defeated by Leitrim in the Connacht Intermediate final a few weeks ago but which has now come back to push Cavan all the way in round one before impressively dealing with the challenge of a fancied Down side.
There were several outstanding performances for the Rossies on what was a perfect day for football weather-wise. A fast start that saw Finbar Egan’s side go seven points up within nine minutes was key to the victory.
In the opening minute, the returning Laura Mannion (who was excellent throughout) shot for a point but her effort dipped under the Down crossbar for an unexpected goal and a great start for the home side.
Seven minutes later Aisling Feely pointed a 20-metre free and then, after Down centre half-forward Laoise Duffy had struck the Roscommon crossbar with a rasping shot, the home side swept downfield and Caoimhe Lennon finished expertly. Now it was Roscommon 2-1 Down 0-0.
The Ulster team came into the game much more after that although Roscommon were defending well with Helena Cummins, Saoirse Wynne and Ella Thompson all outstanding. The visitors were mostly depending on the free-taking skills of Eimear Fitzpatrick for their scores and three well-struck placed balls from her got them on the scoreboard.
Up front for Roscommon, Aisling Feely was also unerring from frees. Laura Mannion put in a huge shift on her welcome return to the team, and Niamh Feeney and Caoimhe Lennon always looked dangerous for the home side.
With Aisling Feely on target with two frees for Roscommon, the home team led 2-3 to 0-6 by half-time, all but one of those Down points coming from frees.
Roscommon continued to work hard after the break and Aisling Feely was on target with a fine two-point free in the 38th minute. With Niamh Feeney chipping in with two points from play, Roscommon were keeping their opponents at arm’s length.
But Down suggested that they would stage a late rally when sub Cristin Browne raced through for a well-taken goal in the 54th minute, reducing the margin to just one (2-9 to 1-11). However, Roscommon responded in splendid fashion with points from Aisling Feely (2, 1 free) and Caoimhe Lennon.
The teams exchanged points from Aisling Feely and Niamh McGrath in injury-time but Roscommon had done enough and were not flattered by the four-point winning margin.
Finbar Egan will be very happy with this display by his team and with a number of other players to return from injury they will go into the quarter-finals with momentum after this fine win. Roscommon can play Clare, Leitrim or Westmeath in the last eight.
Roscommon: Helena Cummins; Megan McKeon, Aine Connaughton, Ria Lennon; Ruth Cox, Saoirse Wynne, Ella Thompson; Ellen Irwin, Abby Curran (0-1); Niamh Feeney (0-2), Aine McGrath, Aisling Feely (0-8, 1 2tpf, 5 frees); Roise Lennon, Laura Mannion (1-0), Caoimhe Lennon (1-1). Subs: Aisling Hanly for R Lennon (41), Rachel Fitzmaurice for Mannion (50), Grainne Lohan for Feeney (61), Rachel Brady for Thompson (63).
Down: Maeve Deery; Neva Loudon, Erin Sands, Aimee Greene; Niamh Edgar, Orlagh Blayney, Niamh McClory; Ciara Donnelly, Kate Howlett; Aoife Laverty, Laoise Duffy, Niamh McGrath (0-2); Niamh King, Eimear Fitzpatrick (0-9, all frees), Eva Hicks (0-1). Subs: Vivienne McCormack for Hicks (51), Cristin Browne (1-0) for Laverty (51).
Referee: Kevin Phelan (Laois).
Player of the Match
Laura Mannion (Roscommon)
Players got reward for ‘hard work’ – Egan
Seamus Egan
It was a very happy Roscommon team manager Finbar Egan who spoke to the local media after what was a fine win against Down.
“The girls finally got what they deserved. They’ve put in an awful lot of hard work. Leitrim in Carrick (Connacht final) was a disaster, but we went up to Cavan and played well. Maybe we lacked a bit of belief, but we showed today that we have worked exceptionally hard.”
The manager agreed that the return of Laura Mannion to the team was a huge boost.
“I felt that we needed a female equivalent of John Heslin (Westmeath footballer who recently made a comeback), and Laura answered the call. She was carrying a knock but she played through it. Fair play to the other girls, it wasn’t easy for them to see someone come back in and start. But they rowed in behind the decision.”
After what was a disappointing weekend for the GAA in the county, Finbar said that it was not all doom and gloom.
“The county was doing so well only a few weeks ago. We’ve still got the minor girls in an All-Ireland semi-final, and the camogie team are going well.
“The lads put in a savage effort, but sometimes games go like the way they did in Clones. They’re still a super team, and they’ll be back next year.
“It’s the same here, although if we lost today everyone would be saying that we’re rubbish after going into a relegation play-off two years in a row! But we’re in a quarter-final now. The aim now is to win that, and make a semi-final.”
Quarter-final a derby date with Leitrim
Roscommon will face Leitrim in the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Football Championship quarter-final. The sides will meet at a Leitrim venue after the draw was made earlier this week.
This will be a repeat of the recent Connacht final played in Carrick-on-Shannon, which Leitrim won by 4-18 to 0-8. Since that disappointing outing, in their two championship games to date, Roscommon have lost out to Cavan by three points and beaten Down by four points.
The game will take place on Sunday, June 28th at 2 pm, with Avant Money Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada being the most likely venue.
The other games in the quarter-finals are: Clare v Fermanagh, Westmeath v Wexford and Down v Monaghan.