Ravenous Rossies show all the hunger to feast on Mayo
NO STOPPING HIM: Dylan Ruane of Roscommon celebrates scoring a point, as Mayo players Matthew Ruane, left, and Conor Loftus look on, during the Connacht GAA Football Senior Championship semi-final match between Mayo and Roscommon at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar, Mayo. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
The Rassies.
This is what they do. Roscommon rocked into a giddy Mayo without several of their St Brigids stars or key forward Daire Cregg and secured a deserved ten-point triumph.
Captain Diarmuid Murtagh was sensational, kicking 1-10 as Mark Dowd’s outfit completely ruled the second half. The manner of the Mayo collapse was stunning. Their were home fans streaming out of Hastings Insurance MacHale Park on the hour mark.
A messy and mad opening half concluded on a fitting note as Amhrán na bhFiann momentarily played instead of the hooter. Mayo went to the dressing room 1-11 to 1-8 in front, their advantage earned in in a game that tethered on the line between the compelling and the comical.
It started with a heap of turnovers and several wides. Conor Loftus eventually struck the opening score after six minutes after Senan Lambe was penalised for an attempted screen, a popular talking point recently.
The glorious weather and costly €35 stand tickets compelled the bulk of the crowd to conquer the exposed McHale road side instead. To the delight of the home support in the 15,321 crowd, Mayo scored four-successive points with the class of Kobe McDonald standing out.
He scored six points in total. It included sublime efforts of left and right. He made mistakes too and responded impressively to them. It was a display of bravery as well as maturity. In the end, he fought a lonely fight.
Mayo were up by four after ten minutes and the margin was six when Loftus teed up Ryan O’Donoghue for an excellent goal. The number 11 cut from the right wing, dummied onto his right to steer his effort inside the near post.
Both sides made life difficult for themselves at times. A breach gifted Mayo a two-point free. Robert Hennelly’s kickout came under immense pressure. It was his wayward short attempt that led to led to Roscommon’s first score, a goal for Diarmuid Murtagh after Robert Heneghan picked it off and Darragh Heneghan teed him up.
After the turnaround, it was one-way traffic. Roscommon kicked 1-17 before they kicked a wide. They tore the green and red defence apart. The pace of Robert Heneghan and Colm Neary proved unstoppable. It was Heneghan who landed their second green flag during another sweeping breakaway.
Their bench came on and kicked for home. In the end, it looked so simple.
R. O’Donoghue 1-4 (1tpf, 1f); K. McDonald 0-6 (1tpf); C. Loftus, P. Durcan 0-2 each; J. Flynn, J. Carney, B. Tuohy, M. Ruane 0-1 each.
D. Murtagh 1-10 (1tpf, 1 tp, 1f); R. Heneghan 1-3; E. Smith, D. Ruane 0-3 each; K. Doyle 0-2; R. Heneghan, C. Neary, P. Carey, C. Hand 0-1 each.
R. Hennelly; J. Coyne, R. Brickenden, E. Hession; S. Callinan, C. Loftus, P. Durcan; B. Tuohy, D. McBrien; J. Carney, R. O’Donoghue, J. Flynn; C. McHale, A. O’Shea, K. McDonald.
T. Conroy for McHale (half-time); D. McHugh for Brickenden (41); M. Ruane for Tuohy, F. Boland for O’Shea (both 45); C. O’Connor for Loftus (55);
C. Carroll; P. Gavin, C. Keogh, E. McCormack; R. Daly, E. Ward, S. Lambe; K. Doyle, C. Ryan; D. Ruane, E. Smith, C. Neary; R. Heneghan, D. Murtagh, R. Heneghan.
P. Carey for Keogh (49); C. Hand for Heneghan (52); R. Dolan for Lambe (58); S. Cunnane for Ryan (60); N. Higgins for R. Heneghan (68).
D. Coldrick (Meath).
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