Callanan hits top form as Mellows book ticket to quarters

COUNTY player Aonghus Callanan hit 0-5 from play as city side Liam Mellows, who won the last of their seven Galway SHC titles back in 1970, advanced to the quarter-finals at Athenry yesterday, seeing off Sarsfields 0-13 to 0-11.

Sarsfields, who won five of their six county titles between 1989 and 1997 – becoming the first side to win successive All-Ireland titles along the way – have been working on underage in recent years and the current crop contains the next generation of many of those who triumphed in the 1990s.

But they were ousted by a Mellows side for whom county player David Collins manned defence and aside from Callanan’s exploits, Brian Lee, younger brother of Galway defender John, hit three great points from play.