Roscommon book U-20 Connacht final place after emphatic win over Leitrim
Connacht U-20 football championship round five: Roscommon 3-16 Leitrim 2-6
Three goals for Roscommon paved the way to an impressive win.
Goals by Niall O'Donnell and Shane McGinley for Roscommon prior to the break ensured a clear-cut victory for the visitors over 14-man Leitrim at Ballinamore and a direct Connacht final place for the Rossies as table toppers in the provincial round robin championship on score difference.
Aided by the breeze, Roscommon got off to a good start when McGinley tapped over an opening free and Ryan Conlan split the Leitrim posts five minutes later. But a well-worked Ben Guckian goal on the 11-minute mark put Leitrim in front.
Roscommon levelled thanks to Shane McGinley, who converted a 45 and slotted over a free. A 19th-minute point from a Bobby Nugent mark saw Roscommon take a lead they never relinquished.
O'Donnell and McGinley's goals before half time left the Rossies with a 2–7 to 1–3 interval advantage. After the restart McGinley increased Roscommon's lead further by the 40th minute with points from two placed balls.
Leitrim suffered a further setback six minutes later when they were reduced to 14 players after Darren Cox received a second yellow.
A Leitrim goal by Paul Honeyman ten minutes later gave the home side a slight hope that they might stage a late rally.
But that goal was answered two minutes later by a similar Bobby Nugent score for Roscommon. After that Roscommon coasted to victory with points from Rory Carthy (free), Nugent and Ryan Dowling.
Scorers – Roscommon: S McGinley 1–6 (1 45) B Nugent 1-3 (0-1m) N O'Donnell 1-1; R Dowling 0-2; R Conlan, S Walsh, R Carthy, E O'Reilly 0-1 each.
Leitrim – P Honeyman 1-3 (0-1f), B Guckian 1-1, B McNulty 0-1f, J Casey 0-1.
Roscommon: S Allen; E Kerins, D Casey, D Hagney; J McGreal, S Lambe, E Carthy; C Ryan, J Connolly; B Nugent, R Heneghan, R Hester; S McGinley, R Conlan, N O'Donnell.
Subs: C Harley for Hagney (HT); S Walshe for Conlan (42); E O'Reilly for McGreal (44); O Flaherty for O'Donnell (47); R Carthy for Hester (51).
Leitrim: B Cull; A Oberwan, T Hughes, E McNamara; P Keane, J Foley; M McBrien; B McNulty, B Guckian; D Cox, P Moran, J Casey; J Tobin, P Honeyman, N McManus.
Subs: T Plunkett for Moran (HT); J McGloin for Casey (43); R Cunningham for Hughes (44); K McGuire for McNamara (46); C Keegan for Tobin (55).
Referee: J Henry (Mayo).
