Rossies show muscle to power past London

Liam Gallagher clinched a historic first two-pointer in the championship. 

Ben O'Carroll of Roscommon in action. Pic: INPHO/Juan Gasparini

Roscommon 2-26 London 0-13

Roscommon pulled clear in the second half in Ruislip to take care of business against London in their championship opener.

Davy Burke's side set the tone in the first minute when Ruaidhrí Fallon scored the first point of the game moments after the throw-in.

The first 10 minutes of the game would be dominated by the Rossies, who were patient in front of goal and doubled their lead five minutes later when Enda Smith split the posts.

Diarmuid Murtagh finished a well-worked move with a goal and the hosts were five points down. 

Ben O’Carroll, Ciaráin Murtagh, Ultan Harney and Cian McKeon put the visitors nine ahead without a peep from the Exiles.

London had failed to make use of the strong wind early on and finally troubled the scoreboard in the 14th minute when Liam Gallagher notched a historic first championship two-point score, which was answered at the other end with a Roscommon score courtesy of Eddie Nolan.

Ciaran Diver, Daniel Clarke, Eoin Walsh and London native Shay Rafter closed the gap between with points. Diver sent the ball over the bar with a free in the 26th minute to level matters.

It had looked at one stage like Roscommon would run away with the game, but London had deservedly worked themselves back into the game despite being nine points down early on.

Roscommon would go into the break with a three-point lead thanks to two more points from O’Carroll and Keith Doyle, but despite their lead, the game was firmly in the balance at 1-10 to 0-10.

Roscommon would increase their lead over the Londoners after the break when Dylan Ruane, Ciaráin Murtagh and Smith pointed to extend the Roscommon lead. Diarmuid Murtagh was also denied a second goal on the line by London’s Daire Rooney.

Rafter and Kristian Healy registered London’s first points of the second-half in response and Rafter would be London’s leading man on the scoring front. But Roscommon would soon show their quality with brutal efficiency in front of the posts with all of their scores except for one coming from open play.

Ciaráin Murtagh and teammate McKeon kept Roscommon in cruise control before Ciaráin Murtagh scored Roscommon’s second goal of the afternoon to give the Rossies an 11-point lead to end the game as a contest.

Roscommon’s O’Carroll and Cathal Heneghan scored two lovely two-pointers to push that lead even further out to 17 with five to go. London were aggrieved when Diver’s effort split posts in the opinion of everyone at McGovern Park except for the officials.

Ultimately, even if it had counted, it wouldn’t have made any difference, as the gap in quality between London and their visitors was there for all to see.

Substitute Shane Killoran grabbed himself a score in between a couple more scores from O’Carroll as Roscommon refused to relent London will look back at their first-half performance and regret not utilising the wind to their advantage, given it took so long for them to get going. But in the Championship, you can’t afford to sit back or waste opportunities against quality sides.

Rafter would eventually grab London’s first score since the 46th minute with a free as London now turn their attention to the Tailteann Cup while Roscommon advance to the Connacht semi-finals.

London: A Walsh; D Rooney, S Taylor, N McElwaine; E Walsh (captain) (0-01), M Moynihan, A McLoughlin; T Barry, L Gallagher (0-02, 1tp); J Obahor, D Clarke (0-02, 1tp), K Healy (0-01); C Diver (0-03, 1f), S Rafter (0-04, 2f), R Rafferty 

Substitutes: C McCarrick for J Obahor (half-Time), C McKelvey for E Walsh (47’), C Cox for T Barry (58’), O Hilley for A McLoughlin (60’), J Crowley Holland for M Moynihan (66’) 

Roscommon: C Carroll; P Frost, J McManus, D Murray; R Fallon (0-01), C Neary, D Ruane (0-02); E Nolan (0-01), K Doyle (0-01); U Harney, E Smith (0-02), B O’Carroll (0-07, 1tp, 1f); D Murtagh (1-01) (captain), C McKeon (0-03), C Murtagh (1-05,1tp) 

Substitutes: S Cunnane for K Doyle (half-Time), C Hand for D Ruane (47’), C Heneghan (0-02,1tp) for D Murtagh (57), S Lambe for P Frost (57’), S Killoran (0-01) for E Smith (66’) 

Referee: T Murphy (Galway)