Connacht SHC final/ Loughrea 2-16 Athleague 2-3: Galway champions Loughrea lifted their first Connacht club SHC title when, as expected, they proved far too strong for Roscommon's Athleague.
Both teams had to endure appalling wind and rain conditions on a pitch that was just about playable at Athleague, but the contest was sporting throughout.
Loughrea, no doubt anxious to move on from their controversial Galway final against Portumna, used wind advantage to the maximum in the opening half and by half-time they led 0-11 to 0-0.
Athleague, bidding to become only the third Roscommon team to win the title in the 37-year history of the competition, needed a solid start to the second half to have any chance of a surprise win. But Loughrea killed off the contest when Kenneth Colleran set up Johnny O'Loughlin for their opening goal of the game three minutes after the restart.
Colleran was also the provider four minutes later when Loughrea sealed the issue as 44-year-old intercounty referee Michael Haverty crowned a man-of-the-match display with a goal. That put Loughrea 2-11 to 0-0 in front and the prospect of an embarrassing defeat loomed large for the Roscommon champions.
But Athleague never gave up and their best player, county midfielder Mervyn Connaughton, pulled back a goal when his wind-assisted '65 looped into the top corner of the net for their first score after 41 minutes.
It was the first goal Loughrea have conceded in championship hurling this season, having lifted the Galway crown with seven clean sheets.
Declan McGeeney added a point and there was a further boost for Athleague when Brendan Boyle sent a low drive to the net for Athleague's second goal after 51 minutes.
All six Loughrea forwards found the range in the opening half, while Vinnie Maher was superb in a strong half-back line where Greg Kennedy's good positioning was a telling factor.
Loughrea would have been further ahead by half-time were it not for a hard-working Athleague full-back line, while corner-forward Alan Cunniffe also caught the eye in the second half.
But Loughrea's class was never in doubt even though they were without five regulars and they will now go forward and try to follow in the footsteps of Portumna, Athenry, Sarsfields, Kiltormer and Castlegar and bring the All-Ireland club title back to Galway.
LOUGHREA: N Murray; T Regan, D McClearn, D Melia; V Maher, G Kennedy, P Linnane; G Keary (0-1), R Regan; K Daniels (0-3), J Maher (0-4, three frees), S Cusack (0-2); M Haverty (1-3), J O'Loughlin (1-1), K Colleran (0-1). Subs: B Dooley for Colleran (50 mins); J Regan for O'Loughlin (53 mins); E Mahony for V Maher, T Kelly (0-1) for Haverty (both 58 mins).
ATHLEAGUE: D Connell; D Delaney, K Mullen, N Connolly; D McGeeney (0-1), C Moran, K McGeeney; M Connaughton (1-0, '65), J Connolly; T Reddington, S O'Brien, S McGeeney; B Boyle (1-1, one free), G Fallon (0-1); A Cunniffe. Subs: J Fallon for S McGeeney (37 mins); P Glennon for O'Brien (48 mins).
Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).
