Crossmolina
Deel Rovers ..... 1-11
Strokestown
...................... 0-10
From
the Roscommon herald
AIB Connacht Club Football Final
Willie Hegarty at Hyde Park
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In the
end, it took the All-Ireland club champions of 2001,
Cross-molina, to end Strokestown’s wonderful voyage and
after a superb battle in tough conditions, the Mayo men just
had too much class and a little more fuel in the tank in the
closing mile. In the process, they lifted the Connacht Club
title for the third time in four years, but not before they
got the fright of their lives from a Strokestown team who
simply refused to lie down. |
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With 14
minutes to play, the tense battle was all square 1-5 to 0-8.
Then and only then did Crossmolina finally build up a head of
steam - four points in a blistering five minute spree pointed
the signpost towards the Mayo Champions at 1-9 to 0-8 clear.
It left Strokestown with a mountain in the closing five
minutes which they couldn’t climb.
Twice, to
their eternal credit, they got it back to a goal - only to see
Liam Moffatt land the crucial score and the fatal blow two
minutes into stoppage time to finally seal victory for John
Maughan’s men after a see-saw battle, which entertained a
4,000 strong crowd from pillar to post.
This was an
absorbing battle in wintry conditions. When Crossmolina looked
to have broken Strokestown resolve, Pat Doorey’s brave foot
soldiers would respond in style. With the teams level 0-2 each
and a minute to the break, Liam Moffatt smashed home a
Crossmolina goal 1-2 to 0-2.
Strokestown’s
reply was instant and emphatic, three quick points meant level
pegging at the midway mark. On the resumption, Crossmolina
made another break for freedom. Man of the match, Kieran
McDonald saw the maroon and white clear again, 1-5 to 0-5
after 34 minutes. This time against the wind the black and
amber produced another rousing comeback with sharp striker
Luke Dolan who obliged with seven points firing over three
frees.
Strokestown
supporters were sensing a famous victory - passion and guts
were displayed by the bucketload. However, this time it fell
short, as Crossmolina’s craft and experience along with
Kieran McDonald’s splendid eye for a score proved too much.
The men who won All-Ireland glory just twenty months ago
enjoyed the greater prosperity in the closing quarter and
found scores easier to come by. Eventually they pulled
themselves over the finishing line with four to spare.
Strokestown can hold their heads high, they gave it
everything. Damien Donlon was brilliant at full back.
Likewise, Emmett Collins enjoyed a stormer at wing-back and
saw his marker Michael Moyles replaced while Morgan Beirne had
a great duel with sharp shooter McDonald. The Mayo forward
really come good in the closing quarter, his influence so
vital when the game was on a knife edge.
A body blow
for Strokestown early on when Derek Hagan had to go off with
an injury in the second-half. At that stage Hagan had moved to
full forward, with Luke Dolan coming out to midfield. This
left Strokestown short in the engine room, and they found the
going tough against Gabriel Walsh and James Nallen. Ronan
Owens scored a brilliant first-half point and never gave up
the chase while up front, only two Strokestown forwards
scored. Luke Dolan landed five frees including one ‘45 and
one from play to round off another impressive performance.
Conor Silke was the only other black and amber forward to hit
the target.
Compare
this to Crossmolina who had Liam Moffatt and Paul McGuinness
helping Kieran McDonald in the scoring department. Strokestown
scored 0-4 from play, Crossmolina coughed up 1-8 while the
winners were slicker and sharper going forward, and that was
the difference in the end.
Pearse
McGinley was disappointed to have been taken off midway
through the opening half, and perhaps was a shade unlucky. His
strength and work rate could have been vital in such trying
conditions. Shane Flaherty worked his heart out at wing
forward, never threw in the towel. Overall, the Crossmolina
defence was neat and tidy, covered well for one another and
looked a solid unit. John Maughan’s men are now off to
London next weekend for the All-Ireland club quarter final,
and they look a good bet to reach the last four and better
still a place at the head table come St. Patrick’s Day. Any
team with the talented Kieran McDonald on board, will not be
far away from ultimate glory come judgment day.
The opening
score at Dr. Hyde Park took 13 minutes to arrive and it went
to the visitors. Corner forward, Paul McGuinness after finding
a yard of space fisted the ball over the bar. Even though
Strokestown were backed by the wind in the opening period,
Crossmolina dominated the first quarter but bad shooting let
them down. They shot seven wides, but Strokestown who were
living dangerously survived the early onslaught and found
their feet when Luke Dolan pointed a ‘45 to tie the match at
0-1 each after 16 minutes.
From here
on, the Roscommon champions gave as good at they got. Two
minutes later, McDonald edged Crossmolina back in front with a
free, before Ronan Owens landed a great equaliser from way out
in the country, all this after Conor Silke hit a post with
John Rogers missing the rebound by a yard. With conditions
being a lottery, scores were a scarce commodity, both sides
were showing plenty of heart and commitment, but lady luck
wasn’t smiling on either team in front of goal, that was
until Liam Moffatt struck gold, within a minute of half time,
and for the first time in 257 minutes, Donal Hanly was beaten.
Strokestown’s
defence on the right was pressurised into making a mistake.
Joe Keane whipped in a dangerous ball across the goal, Liam
Moffatt gathered possession ahead of Adrian Cassidy and fired
past Donal Hanly.
Instead of
going into the half time cuppa downbeat, Strokestown roared
back like an angry lion in injury-time. First Conor Silke,
pointed, Luke Dolan repeated the trick, before the Sligo hero
Emmett Collins popped up to land the equaliser, 1-2 to 0-5 at
the interval, all to play for and Crossmolina had now realised
that Strokestown weren’t here to make up the numbers.
On the
resumption Crossmolina enjoyed a turbo-charged start to the
third quarter, left the traps quicker than greyhounds and with
the wind behind them, they hit three points in a row, two from
McDonald and one from midfielder, Gabriel Walsh.
The early
signs suggested Crossmolina were on a roll, how wrong we were.
Like a dog with a bone, Strokestown wouldn’t let go, they
hit a superb purple patch against the wind. At times they over
elaborated the short passing and gave away points, but overall
their wonderful support play into a driving wind led to fine
scores. Three Luke Dolan frees brought the contest level for
the fourth time with 14 minutes to play, 1-5 to 0-8. It was
now a cracking contest, with a splendid atmosphere.
Next came
two crucial moments. Firstly McDonald fired over a huge point,
one which the Strokestown defence thought had gone wide, it
was a mighty close call. From this observer’s vantage point
it appeared to have crept inside the post, but the Strokestown
backs had a better view. Then with the black and amber on the
attack, substitute Ronan Shiel looking for the equaliser,
seemed to be fouled from behind. Referee Enda Stenson waved
play on and Crossmolina cleared the danger. Ironically
Cross-molina won a free, which McDonald pointed, so instead of
equality, Crossmolina were now two up 1-7 to 0-8 with 11
minutes to play.
Two soon
became four as who else but McDonald and Peadar Gardiner
struck. In a twinkle of an eye the Mayo men had gone 1-9 to
0-8 clear as we entered the final furlong. Luke Dolan kept the
fire burning with a free, a three point game again. From one
sharp shooter to another, McDonald fired over his sixth of the
afternoon - he was now buzzing like a bee hive.
Ice cool
Luke put more turf back on the fire in the first minute of
stoppage time with another free for Strokestown, who didn’t
score from play in the new period. At 1-10 to 0-10, the door
was still ajar. One final raid in search of goals, Strokestown
lost possession and in one magnificent move the whole length
of the field, Liam Moffatt ended Strokestown’s dream, with
the insurance point right on the button.
That final
move summed up why the Mayo men won, they had extra class
going forward. They will be hard beaten from here on in.
Having now one three Connacht Club titles in four years, they
have yet to loose a club game in Connacht, have now posted
seven wins and a draw since they arrived on the scene in 1995.
By God,
didn’t Strokes-town go down fighting, we expected nothing
else. They stepped up another few levels last Sunday and
didn’t look out of place. They had a wonderful year, county
champions, picked up many admirers along the way. With such a
young team, the future is bright.
Pat Doorey
had done a great job, Strokestown came from first round losers
in Roscommon to within touch-ing distance of a Connacht club
title - nearly a fairytale but not quite.
CROSSMOLINA
DEEL ROVERS - Barry Heffernan; Stephen Rochford, Tom
Nallen, Colm O’Reilly; Peadar Gardiner (0-1), Damien
Mulligan, Gerard O’Malley; Gabriel Walsh (0-1), James
Nallen; Michael Moyles, Kieran McDonald (0-6, four frees),
Enda Lavelle; Liam Moffatt (1-2), Joe Keane, Paul McGuinness
(0-1). Subs Used: Noel Convey for Moyles.
STROKESTOWN
- Donal Hanly; Damien Cassidy, Damien Donlon, Adrian
Cassidy; Richard Dolan, Morgan Beirne, Emmett Collins (0-1);
Ronan Owens (0-1), Derek Hagan; Shane Flaherty, Pearse
McGinley, John Rogers; Kevin J. Dolan, Luke Dolan (0-7, one
‘45, five frees), Conor Silke (0-1). Subs used: Leo Shiel
for McGinley, Niall Ownes for R. Dolan, Ronan Shiel for Hogan,
Kenny Bosquette for K.J. Dolan.
Wides: Crossmolina
- 11; Strokestown - 5
Booked:
Crossmolina - Moyles; Strokestown - Collins, Hagan
Referee:
Enda Stenson (Leitrim).
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