AIB Connacht Club IHC quarter-final
Tooreen 1-17 Four Roads 1-12
Seamus Duke at King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park
Four Roads’ improvement under the management of Micheál Kelly and his backroom team in 2025 was clear for all to see at King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park on Sunday last, but it was still not good enough to overcome Mayo champions Tooreen, who recorded a five-point win to advance to the provincial semi-finals.
The Roscommon champions started and finished well, but in between Tooreen were the slicker team, particularly up front, where their full-forward line of Shane Boland, Fergal Boland and Eoin Delaney contributed 0-11 of their scores on the day.
On a sunny day, when conditions for hurling were good, Four Roads burst from the traps quickly. After Conor Morris pointed in the first minute, the same player was on hand in the third minute to flick to the Tooreen net on his second attempt and put his side four points ahead.
The Mayo side slowly found their feet, and by the 13th minute there was only one point between the teams (1-2 to 0-4 in favour of Four Roads) after points from Shane Boland (2), Eoin Delaney, and Sean Kenny.
Adam Donnelly pointed for Four Roads in the 13th minute but it was to be their last score for almost 21 minutes. Eoghan Morris of Four Roads had to retire with a serious leg injury, while Tooreen’s Daniel Huane was also forced off with an injury in that spell of the match.
As a result of those injuries, that second quarter was a very stop-start affair. Tooreen were the better side at that stage and they went in at the break leading by 0-10 to 1-4 with Conor Morris on target with two late frees for Micheál Kelly’s side.
The teams were well matched for most of the third quarter as they shared six points (all from play). The key score came in the 42nd minute – and it was a brilliant team goal. Conal Hession handled the ball three times in an incisive team move that went the length of the field before Kenny Feeney supplied the finish to put his side six points ahead (1-13 to 1-7).
Further Tooreen points from Eoin Delaney, Fergal Boland and substitute Fionn Delaney extended the lead to nine with just seven minutes on the clock.
Four Roads stuck to their task and in fact staged a mini-rally late in the game. Points from sub Oisin Finneran, three converted frees from Conor Morris, and a long-range effort from goalkeeper Noel Fallon, saw the margin down to four by the second minute of injury-time. But Tooreen had the last say when Shane Boland converted a late free to seal their victory.
It was a much-improved performance from Four Roads this year compared to 2024 (when Tooreen won by 10 points) but there is still a gap to bridge in terms of Roscommon’s champions succeeding in defeating the Mayo kingpins, something which has not happened since 2015.
Noel Fallon, Eamon Mulry, Conor Kelly, Conor Mulry and Conor Morris were prominent for Four Roads on the day. For Tooreen, the aforementioned Shane Boland, Fergal Boland, and Eoin Delaney were outstanding. They were well assisted by Conal Hession, Sean Kenny and Kenny Feeney. However the best player on the field was centre half-back Oisin Greally who was in superb form all through and was an inspirational figure for his side.
Tooreen: Bobby Douglas; Conal Hession, Stephen Coyne, Michael Morley; Joe Boyle, Oisin Greally, David Kenny (0-1); Daniel Huane, Sean Kenny (0-2, 1 free); Kenny Feeney (1-1), Brian Morley, Liam Lavin; Shane Boland (0-6, 5 frees), Fergal Boland (0-3), Eoin Delaney (0-2). Subs: John Cassidy for Huane (12), Fionnan Burke for Lavin (31), Fionn Delaney (0-1) for B Morley (48), David Harrison for Feeney (57), Charles Finn for S Kenny (59). Other scorer: Jimmy Hoey (0-1, Four Roads, ‘own point’).
Four Roads: Noel Fallon (0-1, free); Jimmy Hoey, Darren Fallon, James Dillon; Daniel Bolger, Eamon Mulry (0-1), Jack Donnelly; Conor Kelly, Eoghan Morris; Liam Óg Coyle, Conor Mulry (0-1), Adam Donnelly (0-1); Cormac Mulry (0-1), Conor Morris (1-6, 6 frees), Tommy Morris. Subs: James Cunniffe for E Morris (20), Brian Mannion for A Donnelly (40), Rory Coyle for J Donnelly (44), Oisin Finneran (0-1) for Coyle (54), Conor Coyle for Cormac Mulry (58).
Referee: Michael Connolly (Sligo).
Man of the Match
Oisin Greally (Tooreen)
