Page 26 - INTO THE WEST - March-April 2018

ALLIANZ NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DIVISION 2 ROUND 1
TARGET: Roscommon forward Donie Smith scored a late penalty against Meath in Dr Hyde Park. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/SPORTSFILE
DIVISION 2 ROUND 3
CHALLENGE: Roscommon’s Cian McKeon in action against Down in their NFL clash at Dr Hyde Park.
Photo: Daire Brennan/SPORTSFILE
Page 26 – INTO THE WEST
Smith penalty saves Roscommon’s day
Roscommon ......2-12 dMeath ...............2-12
By BILL KIELY Media West Ireland
Mullooly’s goal in the 18th minute restored the advantage for roscommon, which they carried into half-time to lead 1-6 to 1-5.
OniE Smith rolled a late penalty to the net to rescue a draw for roscommon after a thrilling clash with the royals at
Ciaran Lennon launched roscommon into a brilliant start to the second half, and four points without reply in the first 12 minutes of the half saw them lead 1-10 to 1-5. James McEntee and Padraig McKeever got Meath back in the tie with good points, before the exchange of goals late on ensured a draw. SCORERS – Roscommon: Diarmuid Murtagh 0-5 (2fs), S Mullooly and D Smith (pen) 1-0 each, C Murtagh 0-2 (1f), N Kilroy 0-1, E Smith 0-1, C Lennon 0-1, D Murray 0-1, Finbar Cregg 0-1 (f).
Meath: Cillian O’Sullivan 1-0, Eamon Wallace 1-0, Padraig McKeever 0-3 (1f), Sean Tobin 0-2 (1f), Ben Brennan 0-2 (2fs), Thomas O’Reilly 0-1f, James McEn- tee 0-1, Joey Wallace 0-1, Bryan Menton 0-1, Seamus Lavin 0-1.
ROSCOMMON: C Lavin; D Murray, N McInerney, J McManus; C Devaney, F Lennon, S Mullooly; I Kilbride, T O’Rourke; N Daly, N Kilroy, E Smith; D Murtagh, C Lennon, C Murtagh. Subs: F Cregg for Kilbride (25), C Daly for D Murtagh (46), C Cregg for Kilroy (52), R Daly for N Daly (54), P Domican for Murray (60, black card), D Smith for C Murtagh (66). MEATH: A Colgan; M Burke, C Gill, S Lavin; B Power, D Keogan, S McEntee; A Flanagan, B Menton; J McEn- tee, B Brennan, G Reilly; T O’Reilly, C O’Sullivan, J Wallace. Subs: B Conlon for Burke (29), P McKeever for O’Reilly (HT), E Wallace for Brennan (46), S Tobin for Reilly (46), D O’Neill for O’Sullivan (59), A Douglas for Power (70, black card).
REFEREE: Barry Cassidy (Derry).
although the 34 frees they conceded was a shocking tally.
But the important statistic was the key two points they earned, which Burns sees as priceless.
“It’s important because the division is very very competitive. It means now that facing into the break we have four points and then we have a home venue against Clare in our next game,” said Burns.
Even without the red card Down were impressive early on as Barry O’Hagan and Niall Donnelly pointed, while Donal O’Hare found his range to extend their lead to 0-6 to 0-0.
Kilbride will be disgusted with himself after he first earned a yellow for a kick tackle on Donal O’Hare, and four minutes later picked up another following an off the ball clash with Niall Donnelly.
Roscommon did have a purple patch with three points in a row in as many minutes as Cian McKeon landed two frees and Conor Devaney slotted one of only two points from play from the home side, but Down were in control at the break.
A couple of Diarmuid Murtagh frees lifted Roscommon after the break and Kevin McStay’s side then had a great chance to scare Down when Caolan Mooney was penalised for a trip on Enda Smith, which drew the penalty, but Ciaráin Murtagh saw his
dr Hyde Park.
This game was tight throughout with just
one point separating the sides at the interval, but Kevin McStay’s side did well to take a share of the spoils after sub Eamonn Wallace cracked Meath’s second goal three minutes from the end.
That goal lifted the Leinster side after roscommon had started the half very strongly, but despite trailing by four points in added time, Finbarr Cregg slotted a free, while Smith converted the pnealty confidently after a foul on Cregg.
roscommon got off to a flying start with a couple of quick points, and after Ben Brennan got Meath on the board, Cillain O’Sullivan rocked roscommon with a fine goal in the eighth minute, which put Meath two points ahead.
But straight away Enda Smith and niall Kilroy pointed for the home side, before Sean
O’Hare torments Roscommon
Roscommon ........0-7 Down ................0-12
By DECLAN ROONEY Media West Ireland
DOWN pulled level with Cork at the top of the Division 2 standings, but Roscommon will be kicking themselves after this loss at Dr Hyde Park.
The sending off of Ian Kilbride hit Roscommon hard after 15 minutes, and despite a strong come- back in the second-half they never threatened
Down.
Down were fluid in attack and worked their
scores well and the 0-9 to 0-3 half-time lead was well earned, and despite a bright start to the
second-half, a missed penalty from Ciaráin Murtagh after 47 minutes stalled Roscommon’s hopes of a comeback.
Down had ten different scorers at Dr Hyde Park, with nine of those hitting the target form play,