CONNACHT MFC SEMI-FINAL Roscommon 1-17 Leitrim 0-3: ROSCOMMON PRODUCED a significantly-improved second-half display to overwhelm Leitrim at Hyde Park on Saturday.
After a dreadful first-half, the home team led by 0-5 to 0-2.
However, unanswered points from Ciarán Murtagh, Niall Kilroy, Daniel Qualter and Cathal Shine within seven minutes of the resumption gave Roscommon a seven-point lead and Leitrim’s diminishing hopes vanished when Conor Beirne was sent-off for a second bookable offence after 42 minutes.
Substitute Darren Clabby sealed victory for the home team with a well-taken individual goal in the 49th minute when he shook off a defender and sent a powerful shot to the net.
Leitrim scored just one point in the second half.
Roscommon manager Wynne believed the pressure of the occasion contributed to the poor quality of the first half.
“Both teams were under a lot of pressure, there wasn’t any back door and the winners would be straight into the provincial final. We had to come up with a result.
“We started a bit slow and that reflected the inactivity of not having played a championship match. We played some nice spells of football, but there is plenty of work to be done for the final.
ROSCOMMON: N Connaughton; P Feeney, G Deeney, P Brogan; N Daly, D Butler, C Cafferky; S McNulty, D Qualter (0-3, one 45); J Carty (0-1), S Oates, B Carthy (0-1); N Kilroy (0-4, two frees), C Shine (0-1), C Murtagh (0-2, frees). Subs: D Connellan for Deeney, D Clabby (1-2)for Oates, C Compton (0-1)for Murtagh, A Feehily (0-1)for Carty, M Sweeney (0-1)for Carthy.
LEITRIM: S Sweeney; S Ryan, D Harkin, J O'Brien; M Clancy, S McWeeney, M Quinn; C McWeeney, R Burke; D Flynn, S Flanagan (0-2, one free), Aaron Hickey; C Beirne (0-1, free), B Mulvey, E Sweeney. Subs: K Boyle for R Burke, P Hill for Sweeney, R Kennedy for Hickey.
Referee: M Daly (Mayo).
Next up . . .Roscommon and Mayo will meet in the Connacht minor football final at Pearse Stadium, Galway on Sunday, July 19th, as a curtain-raiser to the Mayo versus Galway senior decider.
