Sport

Collins produces a masterstroke

Strokestown... 0-8 Eastern Harps..

Mon Nov 18 2002 - 00:00

Strokestown ... 0-8 Eastern Harps ... 0-7 Emmet Collins was the toast of Markievicz Park yesterday after his point in stoppage time earned Roscommon champions Strokestown a place in the Connacht club football championship final where they meet Crossmolina.

Sligo champions Eastern Harps were on top in the second half of an action-packed semi-final, holding their opponents scoreless until Collins struck a peach of a score as the visitors staged a last-gasp onslaught on the Harps goal.

But it was an entirely different story in the opening half .

Strokestown opened the scoring with a Luke Dolan point from a free in the fifth minute and the former Roscommon county player went on to bag three first-half points.

READ MORE

The Roscommon champions were on top in most sectors with their defence playing exceptionally well. The Harps backs were also well in tune but the town attack held too much fire-power in the opening period.

Some 18 minutes had elapsed before Harps opened their account when midfielder Morgan Cormack scored from play. Strokestown led 0-7 to 0-2 at half-time.

A superb Harps move involving Patrick Henry, Keith Carty and Michael Doddy at the start of the second half ended with a Michael Doddy point.

Paul Taylor added a point from a free to get the Sligo side's fightback up and running.

Doddy missed a great goal chance after 46 minutes and Harps had to settle for a Patrick Henry point from the resultant 45.

A couple of late points by Seán Dorrian squared the match and extra time loomed large with less than a minute to play. But Collins had not read the script as he rounded off a memorable afternoon for the visitors with a superb late point.

STROKESTOWN: D Hanly; D Cassidy, R Dolan, A Cassidy; D Donlon, M Beirne, E Collins (0-1); R Owens, D Hagan; S Flaherty, P McGinley (0-1), J Rodgers; Kevin J Dolan (0-1), L Dolan (0-3, 2 frees), C Silke (0-2). Subs: K Bosquette for R Dolan (55 mins), L Shiel for McGinley (60 mins).

EASTERN HARPS: P Walsh; P Phillips, K Phillips, M Cosgrove; P McGovern, B Phillips, F Sexton; P Grady, M McCormack (0-1); M Doddy (0-1), K Carty, P Henry (0-1); S Gallagher, P Taylor (0-2, one free), S Dorrian (0-2). Subs: F Candon for Sexton (17 mins), R Donovan for P Phillips (half-time), J Bruen for Gallagher (21 mins), T Taylor for Bruen (57 mins)

Referee: M Daly (Mayo).