Connacht SFC: Rossies stroll past Leitrim into Connacht final

May 26, 2018

Roscommon 'keeper Colm Lavin saves off Leitrim's Jack Heslin during the Connacht SFC semi-final in Carrick-on-Shannon

Holders Roscommon are through to another provincial final after coasting to a landslide 0-24 to 0-10 win over Leitrim at Carrick-on-Shannon.

The Rossies are now guaranteed two cracks at reaching the Super 8s while their Division Four opponent will be in the bowl for the second-round Qualifier draw courtesy of their narrow quarter-final defeat of New York.

It was plain sailing for the Rossies from the off as they eased into a 0-9 to 0-2 interval lead.

Keith Beirne and Diarmuid Murtagh shared the first four points inside the opening eight minutes and the hosts spurned a glorious goalscoring opportunity before the holders took complete control of proceedings with seven unanswered points before the short whistle.

Fintan Cregg, Diarmuid Murtagh, Brian Stack and Ciarain Murtagh had Kevin McStay's men four clear after 15 minutes and Enda Smith, Diarmuid Murtagh and Ciarain Murtagh (free) completed the first-half procession.

Conor Devaney and Smith continued the rout when the action resumed and Ciarain Murtagh made it a ten-point game with 42 minutes played. Niall Kilroy quickly became the sixth Rossies forward to register.

Darragh Rooney mustered the hosts' first score in 40 minutes but Smith hit back with a brace to make it 0-15 to 0-3 as the action went into the final quarter. Substitutes Ryan O'Rourke and Damien Moran pulled back further consolation scores either side of a Cathal Compton strike and it was all about the replacements as Rooney and Moran posted two more Leitrim scores and Cathal Cregg notched a brace for the winners.

Shane Killoran's point was cancelled out by Moran before Diarmuid Murtagh decided to supply the visitors' 20th point of the evening - 0-20 to 0-8. Even despite their strong finish, Leitrim were still miles adrift. Cathal Cregg got his third with three minutes left and his fourth 60 seconds later. Tadhg Rourke was the twelfth Roscommon player to register and the last two scores were shared as the Rossies won at a Froome-like canter.

Roscommon - C Lavin; D Murray, P Domican, N McInerney; J McManus (0-1), B Stack (0-1), C Devaney (0-1); C Compton (0-1), T O'Rourke (0-1); Fintan Cregg (0-1), E Smith (0-2), N Kilroy (0-1); D Smith (0-2), D Murtagh (0-5, 0-2f), C Murtagh (0-3, 1f). Subs: C Cregg (0-4) for C Murtagh, C Daly for E Smith, S Killoran (0-1) for B Stack, R Stack for N Kilroy, Finbar Cregg for D Smith, P Kelly for C Compton.

Leitrim - D McKiernan; A Armstrong, P Maguire, M McWeeney; N Plunkett, S Quinn (0-1), J Rooney; M Plunkett, D McGovern; J Heslin, E Mulligan (0-1'45), B Gallagher; A Flynn, K Beirne (0-2, 1f), D Wrynn. Subs: R O'Rourke (0-1) for J Heslin, D Rooney (0-2) for K Beirne, D Moran (0-3) for M Plunkett, O Madden for B Gallagher, E Ward for J Rooney, D Flynn for A Flynn.

Referee - J McQuillan.


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