Evans hails winning side’s versatility and all-round strength

John Evans

has always been a glass-half-full kind of manager and if he was concerned about the slow-burning nature of Roscommon’s second-half display, he didn’t show it.

All season his team have been building momentum and this was further evidence they are going in the right direction.

“You can’t be too critical,” said Evans as the players signed autographs.

“We kicked 1-18. Every game we have played, we are not relying on any one player . . . I don’t know how we are going to keep Mayo guessing though. That is a different ball game.”

Roscommon nailed 1-12 in the first 35 minutes but Evans wasn’t surprised to see his players exploiting gaps in Leitrim’s defence to work up such a handsome half-time lead.

"Cavan were doing much the same. You have to be tactically aware of how to score and how difficult it can be to get into a position to score. That was the big thing when I came to Roscommon: to get them up from 10 or 11 scores up to 17, 18, 19 scores. We have been working really hard and . . . It was slickness of movement and pace that we had that Leitrim didn't . . . and good finishers like Ciarán Murtagh and Kilbride and Cathal Cregg and these boys . . . they will score every time for you. Our lads found the refereeing a bit frustrating because all their first half scores were frees. We are happy to get over the first round. We appreciate and value what it is to win a championship game."

For Leitrim, that ambition is something to aim for. Seán Hagan’s side have given the season a wholehearted cut, from the FBD final win to a promising opening burst in the league.

Cause for Leitrim optimism
They

are out of the Connacht championship in May and the moral courage and quality of their second-half show here gives them a foundation for their qualifier preparation.

“We felt we needed a goal to win the game so most of our substitutes were forwards in the second half. We have experienced players in our dressing room and we knew we didn’t do ourselves justice in the first half . . . We wish Roscommon luck. They were the superior team on the day.

For victors Roscommon, business gets very serious very fast. Can they stop another Mayo juggernaut in the west? John Evans smiled.

“It is a big game for us. They galloped through Connacht last year and are a wonderful team. I have only admiration for them; they keep coming back.”