Sport

Murtagh's late salvo crucial as champions book their final place

CONNACHT MFC SEMI-FINAL Roscommon 1-11 Galway 1-9 (After extra-time) DIARMUID MURTAGH was the hero for champions Roscommon as…

Mon Jul 02 2012 - 01:00

CONNACHT MFC SEMI-FINAL Roscommon 1-11 Galway 1-9 (After extra-time) DIARMUID MURTAGH was the hero for champions Roscommon as they booked a place in the Connacht minor football championship final.

Galway’s Gary Kelly gave his side the edge with a free in the first period of extra-time, but three points in a row for Roscommon – two from Murtagh either side of Kieran Kilcline’s point – sealed the win.

But for long periods at Tuam Stadium on Saturday evening it looked as the champions would bow out in this repeat of last year’s final. Eoin McCormack looked to have given Galway the win with his goal seven minutes from time, but two late frees from Thomas Corcoran pushed the game into extra-time.

After Roscommon raced into an early 0-2 to 0-0 lead with points from Michael Gunning and Murtagh, Galway started to dominate as Kelly and Jason Lyons hit two points each to give the Tribesmen the lead.

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However, an excellent goal in first-half injury-time from wing-back Ronan Daly gave Roscommon a 1-3 to 0-4 advantage at the break, but they were made to work all the way for the win.

After McCormack’s goal, Liam Silke pushed Galway into a two-point lead and they looked set for the win, but Corcoran’s late frees in normal time kept the Rossies in the tie and Murtagh completed the victory in the 82nd minute.

Roscommon now face Mayo in the Connacht final at Hyde Park on Sunday week.

ROSCOMMON: S Mannion; P Neilan, D Barron, C Kenny; T McKenna, C Hussey, R Daly (1-0); U Harney, T Corcoran (0-3, frees); C Compton, R McManus, E Smith; D Murtagh (0-6, 0-3 frees), K Finn, M Gunning (0-1). Subs: B Fannon for McManus (35 mins); N McInerney for McKenna (36 mins); K Kilcline (0-1) for Compton (50 mins); C Casserley for Gunning (60 mins); C Compton for Casserley (70 mins).

GALWAY: R Lavelle; A Nolan, J Kennedy, E Wynne; L Silke (0-1), C Cunningham, E Kerin; S Lawless, M Daly; J Lyons (0-2), B McHugh, A Meeneghan; E McCormack (1-0), G Kelly (0-5, 0-4 frees), S Hughes. Subs: J Heaney (0-1) for Meeneghan (20 mins); G Gibbons for Kerin (37 mins); M Upton for Lawless (39 mins); A Meenehan for Hughes (58 mins); E Walsh for Cunningham (77 mins); C Slattery for McHugh (78 mins).

Referee: F Flynn (Leitrim).