Electric Ireland Connacht MFC (Round 5)
Sligo 2-15
Roscommon 4-7
The bottom line after this dramatic clash in Markievicz Park last Friday night is that Roscommon are out of the Connacht championship and either Sligo or Mayo will play Galway in the final.
Roscommon had a whirlwind start. After the sides exchanged points inside the first five minutes, Roscommon scored a peach of a goal a minute later. Sean Trundle began the move, and an exchange of passes between Ruaidhri Fallon and Mark Purcell saw the Roscommon Gaels man slip the ball under Jack Teape.
Sligo kicked a couple of bad wides after that and were punished again in the 11th minute when Adam McDermott’s quick free found Ben O’Carroll who spotted Aaron Oyiki free on the edge of the square and the big full-forward did the rest for his fourth goal of the campaign. Ronan Garvin’s excellent point a minute later after a spectacular catch from Oyiki saw Roscommon seven ahead and looking good.
With Eoghan Murphy outstanding at centre half-forward, Sligo scored five of the next six points and by the 18th minute there were only three between the teams 2-3 to 0-6.
But Roscommon’s ability to score goals was always a factor in that first half and in the 22nd minute Oyiki was again involved and the outstanding McDermott finished with aplomb. An exchange of points saw Roscommon in a comfortable position at half-time, leading 3-4 to 0-8.
Indeed Roscommon could have had a fourth goal on the re-start as Ben O’Carroll burst through and his goalbound shot was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Jack Teape. But the home side took over completely after that and they scored 1-4 without reply as the Roscommon challenge wilted. Sub Jack Davitt was having a huge influence on the game, and when Gavin Duffy fired home in the 41st minute the sides were level.
Roscommon did hit back with points from Adam McDermott and Evan Corcoran, but the goal that really put paid to the Rossies’ chances came in the 49th minute. Once again it was the quick-thinking Eoghan Smith who spotted Gavin Duffy free and he blasted the ball past Cian Feely. Further points from Oisin Hynes, Oisin Gorman and a Smith free saw the home side stretch the margin to five well inside the five minutes of allotted injury-time.
With the last kick of the game Roscommon corner-back Patrick Gavin took full advantage when Sligo goalkeeper Jack Teape didn’t clear his lines and he pulled first time to the net but it was far too late to affect the outcome as Roscommon bowed out.
Sligo: Jack Teape; Keith Feely, Mark Connolly-McGowan, Oisin Hynes (0-1); Canice Mulligan (0-1), Ciaran McKeon, Conor Finn; Joseph Kearney, Jack Lavin; Oran McDonagh, Eoghan Smith (0-5, 2 frees), Conor Matthews; Lee Deignan, Oisin Gorman (0-2), Gavin Duffy (2-3). Subs: Jack Davitt (0-3) for Matthews (27), Shane Muldowney for Connolly-McGowan (h/t), Dylan Walsh for McDonagh (51), Luke Casserly for Deignan (59).
Roscommon: Cian Feely; Patrick Gavin (1-0), Cian Glennon, Conor Lohan; Sean Trundle, Ruaidhri Fallon, Oisin Cregg; Cathal Feeley, Jack McDermott; Eoin Colleran, Ben O’Carroll (0-1), Mark Purcell (1-1, ’45); Adam McDermott (1-2), Aaron Oyiki (1-0), Ronan Garvin (0-2, 1 free).
Subs: Luke Walsh for Lohan (36), Evan Corcoran (0-1) for Colleran (36), Shane keenan for Cregg (50), Mark Naughton for McDermott (57).
Referee: Declan Corcoran (Mayo)
