Gaelic Games

Easy for Roscommon as outclassed Leitrim are brushed aside

Never the remotest danger of an upset materialising in the Connacht semi-final

Roscommon’s John McManus with Paddy Maguire and Ryan O Rourke of Leitrim during the Connacht semi-final at Carrick-on-Shannon. Photograph: Tommy Grealy/Inpho

Sun May 27 2018 - 19:36

Roscommon 0-24 Leitrim 0-10

Roscommon enjoyed a stroll in the park in their Connacht semi-final win over a limited Leitrim side in Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday night.

Once Fintan Cregg edged Roscommon 0-3 to 0-2 ahead with an 11th minute point the writing was on the wall for the home team.

Prior to that Leitrim started brightly with Keith Beirne putting over the game's opening score.

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Roscommon goalkeeper Colm Lavin denied a possible Leitrim goal chance two minutes later when he parried a weak Jack Heslin shot and Beirne saw his effort from a rebound deflected out for a '45.

Diarmuid Murtagh opened the Rossies account when converted a sixth-minute free. Less than a minute later Murtagh fisted over a point to put the visitors ahead for the first time. Beirne levelled matters three minutes later with a free but that point was his side's last score for next 39 minutes.

Roscommon went on to open an 0-8 to 0-2 lead at the break as Diarmuid and Ciaran Murtagh added two points apiece for Kevin McStay's men while Brian Stack and Enda Smith chipped in with a point apiece.

Following the restart Roscommon stretched their lead further as Conor Devaney and Donal Smith got in on the action while they were denied a goal after a Diarmuid Murtagh shot was blocked, only for his brother Ciaran to miss the rebound.

Darragh Rooney shot finally ended Leitrim’s barren spell but Roscommon dominated the rest of the match and ended up running out 14-point winner swith eight players chipping in further points.

ROSCOMMON: C Lavin; D Murray, P Domican, N McInerney; J McManus (0-1), F Cregg (0-1), B Stack (0-1); C Compton (0-1), T O'Rourke (0-1); E Smith (0-2), N Kilroy (0-1), C Devaney (0-1); D Smith (0-2), D Murtagh (0-5, 1f), C Murtagh (0-3, 1f). Subs: C Daly for E Smith (52 mins), C Cregg (0-4) for C Murtagh (52), S Killoran (0-1) for B Stack (59), R Stack for Kilroy (59), Finbar Cregg for D Smith (61), P Kelly for Compton (66). Yellow card: C. Murtagh.

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 Heslin (36 mins), D Rooney (0-2) for Beirne (43), D Moran (0-3) for M Plunkett (52), O Madden for C Murtagh (52), E Ward for J Rooney (68), D Flynn for A Flynn (70).

Referee: J. McQuillan (Cavan).

Stats:

Roscommon
First half 0 - 8
Second half 0 -16
Wides 9
Frees conceded 22
Yellow Cards 1
Red Cards 0
Black cards 0
Attendance 8,265

Leitrim

First half 0 - 2
Second half 0 - 8
Wides 8
Frees conceded 25
Yellow Cards 0
Red Cards 0
Black cards 0

Attendance 8,265

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