Castlebar Mitchels (Mayo) 1-10
Tourlestrane (Sligo) 0-5
FERGAL DURKIN ROUNDED off a brilliant performance with the final point as Castlebar Mitchels set up a dream Connacht SFC semi-final with Corofin after victory over Tourlestrane.
The reigning provincial champions had to come through four games in October but they were too good for the Sligo winners at Markievicz Park.
Castlebar were 1-6 to 0-1 up at half-time and despite four black cards in the second-half, the holders cruised to victory. Castlebar hit the post three times, and Tourlestrane didn’t score until the final minute of added-time to get their first point of the opening half.
Castlebar dominated throughout though, and full-forward Neil Douglas was their star with 1-5 to his name, including a 19th minute goal.
Tourlestrane began well but Alan Dunne’s shot was saved brilliantly by Rory Byrne in the Mitchels’ goal, but then Castlebar scored three points in a row to pull clear. James Durcan got their first point and Douglas added the rest before he goaled after an awesome Aidan Walsh delivery.
Castlebar beat Knockmore 3-13 to 0-10 in the Mayo final last Saturday but Tourlestrane had not played since their final victory over St Mary’s on 2 October. They couldn’t keep up and further points from Douglas and James Durcan cancelled out the effort from Gaughan.
The four-time Connacht champions, who beat Corofin in the final last year, had Douglas black-carded for an off-the-ball incident in the 40th minute.
But that came after Cathal Henry got black for Tourlestrane. There were further blacks for Aidan Walsh and Liam Gaughan but Castlebar cruised to victory.
Scorers for Castlebar Mitchels: N Douglas 1-5 (0-3f), J Durcan 0-2, D Stenson 0-1 (0-1f), C Costello 0-1 (0-1f), F Durkin 0-1.
Scorers for Tourlestrane: B Egan 0-1 (0-1f), G Gaughan 0-1, L Gaughan 0-1 (0-1f), N Egan 0-1, P Harte 0-1 (0-1f).
Castlebar Mitchels
1. Rory Byrne
4. Donie Newcombe
3. Ger McDonagh
2. Shane Irwin
21. Rhyne Collins
6. Eoghan O’Reilly
5. Ray O’Malley
8. Aidan Walsh
9. Barry Moran
18. David Stenson
10. Fergal Durkin
12. James Durcan
14. Neil Douglas
19. Danny Kirby
15. Shane Hopkins
Subs
20. Calum Kyne for Douglas (42, black card)
13. Neil Lydon for Kirby (46)
22. Anthony O’Boyle for Walsh (51, black card)
11. Cian Costello for Durcan (54)
17. Ronan Burke for Collins (60)
28. David Joyce for Stenson (60)
Tourlestrane
1. Padraig McVeigh
2. Colin Neary
4. Brian Kennedy
5. John F Carr
11. Gary Gaughan
9. Adrian McIntyre
7. James Leonard
8. Stephen Henry
18. John Quinn
10. Pat Harte
14. Cathal Henry
12. Alan Dunne
22. John Kelly
20. John Marren
15. Brian Egan.
Subs
3. Barry Walsh for Leonard (16)
13. Liam Gaughan for Dunne (half-time)
21. Niall Egan for Henry (39, black card)
6. Shane Dunne for Kelly (51)
22. John Kelly for L Gaughan (53, black card)
Referee: Eamonn O’Grady (Leitrim)
