Roscommon 3-23 Sligo 0-21
Roscommon will play Galway in the Connacht FBD League final after an impressive defeat of Sligo in the NUIG Air Dome.
Eleven points from Conor Cox, a penalty save from Conor Carroll, and goals from Diarmuid McGann, Enda Smith and Ben O’Carroll helped Anthony Cunningham’s men to a high-scoring win against a Sligo side for whom Niall Murphy was once again outstanding.
Roscommon had a blistering start with early scores from Cox, Donie Smith and Cathal Heneghan.
Alan Reilly got the Yeats men going with a couple of points and it was nip-and-tuck for long spells, with Murphy and Brian Egan cancelling out Roscommon scores from Cox and debutant midfielder Shane Cunnane, who clipped over two scores.
Sligo were dominant at times but never managed to get level, with Murphy’s stinging goal effort smashing back off the crossbar.
And Roscommon finished the half with a flourish, as Heneghan, Cox and Ciaran Sugrue pointed before McGann claimed the first goal on 35 minutes.
Sligo still had time to try and muster an immediate response, but, after Pat Hughes was fouled close to goal, Carroll denied Murphy from the spot and Roscommon went into the break 1-13 to 0-9 ahead.
Murphy made amends by kicking three early points in the second half, and he and Cox put on an exhibition of point-taking for the remainder of the game.
Murphy would finish with 13 points overall, but Roscommon substitutes Smith and O’Carroll goaled in the final minutes to put a gloss on the scoreboard.
Roscommon: C Carroll; F Lennon, C Walsh, N Higgins; R Hughes, E McCormack, D Ruane; E Nolan, S Cunnane (0-2); C Heneghan (0-2), U Harney, D McGann (1-0); C Sugrue (0-1), D Smith (0-4, 4 frees), C Cox (0-11, 3 frees).
Subs: C McKeon (0-1) for Harney (h/t), E Smith (1-0) for Nolan (h/t), C Lawless for Higgins (37 mins), B O'Carroll (1-0) for Sugrue (45 mins), A Lyons for Lennon (45 mins), K Doyle (0-1) for Cunnane (51 mins), T O'Rourke for McGann (62 mins), R Dowd for Ruane (66 mins), A McDermott for D Smith (66 mins), B Derwin (0-1) for Heneghan (70 mins).
Sligo: E Kilgannon; E McGuinness, E Lyons, M Walsh; K Cawley, P Kilcoyne, N Mullen; P Laffey, C Marren; K McKenna, A Reilly (0-4), M Gordon; N Murphy (0-13, 5 frees, 1 '45', 1 mark), P Hughes (0-2, 1 free), B Egan (0-2, 2 frees).
Subs: P McNamara for Walsh (h/t), D Phillips for Gordon (h/t), K Gavigan for McKenna (h/t), N Rooney for Egan (50 mins), O Kennedy for Lyons (55 mins).
Referee: L Devaney (Mayo)
