Roscommon 6-18
Sligo 0-12
IT WAS ALL TOO EASY for Roscommon’s under-21 footballers tonight as the Hastings Cup winners sent out a clear message to the rest of the country that they’re real contenders to improve on last year’s performance, when they lost out to Dublin the All Ireland final at Tullamore.
Senior star Enda Smith was very much to the fore in the early stages and he hit the net twice in the first six minutes to ease any nerves that might have been felt by the home side.
Diarmuid Murtagh, Jack Earley and Ultan Harney all added points before Sligo finally got off the mark through a Michael Casey free midway through the half. But Roscommon wasted no time in crushing any lingering hopes that might have been held by the away side when theyadded a third goal through a Paul Kenny penalty in the 16th minute.
Enda Smith completed his hat-trick of goals with a deflected strike shortly afterwards, and Sligo’s thirty minutes of misery was completed when Diarmuid Murtagh found himself in acres of space twenty yards from goal a minute before half time.
Cathal Kenny played an inch perfect pass into the chest of the senior star and he promptly sent a thunderbolt of a shot past Eoin McDonagh, leaving Roscommon 5-9 to 0-4 ahead at the break.
Murtagh added his second major of the night five minutes after half time but he, along with Smith, was withdrawn shortly afterwards. That slowed the run of Roscommon scoring and allowed Sligo to at least stem the flow of goals, even if they continued to concede points in a pedestrian second half.
Scorers for Roscommon: Enda Smith 3-1, Diarmuid Murtagh 2-5 (0-2f), Paul Kenny 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), Ronan Daly 0-3, Ultan Harney & Shane Killoran 0-2 each, Jack Earley, Cathal Kenny & Diarmuid McGann (0-1f) 0-1 each
Scorers for Sligo: Michael Casey 0-5 (0-4f), Cathal Henry & Ciarán O’Connor (0-1f) 0-2 each, Kevin Henry, Conor Kerins & Cian Breheny 0-1 each.
ROSCOMMON
1. Shane Mannion (St Brigids)
2. Niall McInerney (St Brigids)
3. Seán Mullooly (Strokestown)
4. Denis Barron (Éire Óg)
5. Conor Hussey (Michael Glaveys)
6. Cathal Kenny (Oran)
7. Ronan Daly (Padraig Pearses)
8. Cathal Compton (Strokestown)
9. Tadhg O’Rourke (Tulsk Lord Edwards)
10. Shane Killoran (Elphin)
11. Ultan Harney (Clann na nGael)
12. Jack Earley (Oran)
13. Diarmuid Murtagh (St Faithleachs)
14. Enda Smith (Boyle)
15. Paul Kenny (Oran)
Subs
20. Noel Gately (Creggs) for Smith (37)
22. Ciarán Kilcline (Roscommon Gaels) for Killoran (41)
21. Michael Murtagh for Earley (44)
23. Diarmuid McGann for Diarmuid Murtagh (44)
19. Evan McGrath (Boyle) for Daly (53)
17. Philip Neilan (Fuerty) for Barron (57)
SLIGO
1. Eoin McDonagh (Coolaney-Mullinabreena)
2. Dara Long (Drumcliffe-Rosses Point)
3. Kevin McDonnell (Castleconnor)
4. Barry Walsh (Tourlestrane)
5. Conor Kerins (St Johns)
6. John Francis Carr (Tourlestrane)
7. Cathal Surlis (Tubbercurry)
8. Brian Smith (St Marys)
9. Cian Breheny (St Marys)
10. Kevin Henry (Geevagh)
11. Cathal Henry (Tourlestrane)
12. Criostóir Davey (Coolaney-Mullinabreena)
13. Stephen Curley (Castleconnor)
14. Seamus Cawley (St Marys)
15. Michael Casey (Owenmore Gaels)
Subs
20. Ciarán O’Connor (St Farnans) for Curley (34)
18. Oisín Kennedy (Tourlestrane) for Long (40)
24. Kenneth Gavigan (Tourlestrane) for Smith (44)
17. Liam Henry (St Marys) for Cawley (52)
21. Gerard Brady (St Molaise Gaels) for Kevin Henry (55 – B/C)
Ref: Raymond McBrien (Leitrim)