Connacht SFC First round/ Roscommon 1-14 New York 0-9: Roscommon survived a mighty scare in the first round of the Connacht senior football championship in Gaelic Park, New York, last night but in the end they pulled away to win by seven points after a tough, hard-hitting encounter.
Roscommon turned in a good first-half performance and led by double scores, 0-10 to 0-5, at the break.
On the resumption New York were a transformed side and they hit four points without reply to narrow the gap. Full forward Aidan McCarron was in outstanding form and they trailed by only a point - 0-10 to 0-9 - with 13 minutes to play. Eventually Roscommon's fitness and class told and a Gerard Heneghan penalty a minute from time sealed victoryt.
The sides exchanged early points and were level after eight minutes before Roscommon enjoyed their best period of dominance with Gerard Heneghan, Stephen Lohan, Seamus O'Neill and Richard Dooner kicking over some great points.
The script was torn up early in the second half as New York stormed into the game but they just couldn't get their noses in front. Their lack of fitness told as they fell away in the closing five minutes after producing one of their best championship displays in recent seasons.
Roscommon manager John Maughan will be delighted with the win as he brings his squad to the Catskill Mountains for a week's training ahead of their next clash, against Galway or Sligo on June 18th.
ROSCOMMON: D Lennon; P O'Connor, D Casey, S McDermott; S Daly, J Nolan, R Dooner (0-1); S O'Neill (0-1), B Mullen (0-2); S Lohan (0-1), G Heneghan (1-5), M Finneran; E Kenny (0-1), G Lohan (0-1), S Fahy (0-1). Subs: K Mannion (0-1) for Kenny, J Tiernan for Fahy, C Cregg for Finneran.
New York: C Green; N Corbett, J Mitchell, D Rooney; C McKeever, A Rooney, P Murphy; K O'Connor (0-1), G Dowd (0-1); A McCarron (0-4), S Munnelly, D Dorgan; M Dobbin, R Moran (0-2), V Gavin (0-1). Subs: S Flynn for Dorgan, G Kelly for Gavin, J O'Halloran for Rooney, P Smith for Dobbin.
Referee: A Mangan (Kerry).
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