Rossies hold off battling Fingal

Mon, 7th March 2016

ROSCOMMON 1-14 FINGAL 0-16

Roscommon edged out Fingal to leapfrog about them in the NHL Division 3A in Athleague on Sunday.

Fingal welcomed back former Dublin U21 Kevin O’Flynn, for the first time in two years and along with his older brother Cillian, was to play a pivotal role for Mick Kennedy’s men.

The home side had led from start to finish and having led by double scores were then to find the back of the net on 12 minutes through Tomas Seale.

And with Roscommon’s midfield duo of Eamon Flanagan and Cathal Dolan hitting a number of scores from play, Roscommon were to add to their lead approaching half-time.

Nonetheless it took an important intervention by Ciaran Shaw to deny Fingal full-forward Kieran O’Sullivan just before the break before scores from the Sheridan brothers, Paddy and JM, saw Fingal close the half with two late scores, 1-10 to 0-8 to the home side.

The second half began with JM Sheridan registering scores each side of an effort from Roscommon’s dead ball specialist Jerry Fallon.

While the visitors were to twice come to within a point of their opponents, an inspirational point from Murphy proved decisive.

SCORERS – Roscommon: J Fallon (0-3f, 0-1 65), E Flanagan 0-4 each, A Murphy 0-3, T Seale 1-0, C Dolan 0-2, L Kilcline 0-1. Fingal: JM Sheridan 0-10 (0-7f), P Sheridan 0-3(0-1 65’), K O’ Flynn, E O’Connor, P Graves 0-1 each

ROSCOMMON: N Fallon; A Moore, P Kellehan, C Shaw; S Curley, M Kelly, T Seale; E Flanagan, C Dolan; J Moran, J Kilkenny, J Fallon; A Murphy, R O'Meara, C Egan. Subs: C Egan for Moran (42), T Doyle for Curley (65), N Martin for O Meara (60)

FINGAL: M Cullen; D O’Brien, D Fitzsimons, N McCaffrey; J Fay-Watt, K O’Flynn, Eoin O’Connor; P Graves, C O’Flynn; P Sheridan, R McGarry, E Thynne; JM Sheridan, K O’Sullivan, TJ Howard. Subs: P Quinn for O Brien 6 (30), I Furlong for Graves 6 (45), E McCarthy for Howard (63)

REF: R McCann (Kildare)