Roscommon looking good for promotion

NFL DIVISION FOUR Roscommon 3-14 Wicklow 2-16:ROSCOMMON LOOK to have virtually clinched promotion with this one-point win in their top-of-the-table clash at Aughrim yesterday.

This was a pulsating game of football, particularly in the second half, as Wicklow shaped up as likely winners in the third quarter when they established a five-point lead, 2-11 to 2-6.

But the Rossies put in a storming last 20 minutes and an opportunist goal by midfielder Kevin Higgins on 61 minutes left Mick O’Dwyer’s men playing catch-up at the death.

With the wind at their backs in the first half, Wicklow raced into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead in the first 17 minutes, with inside forwards Austin O’Malley, Seánie Furlong and Leighton Glynn causing problems.

But, despite the good work of James Stafford, Roscommon’s big men in the middle of the park – Kevin O’Higgins, Michael Finneran and Donie Shine – were controlling the airwaves and John Rogers brought the sides level at 1-2 to 0-5 when he scored after goalkeeper John Flynn could only parry a shot from Shine.

Almost 10 minutes later Wicklow’s Furlong goaled when he fisted a ball from Glynn to the net for a 1-7 to 1-6 half-time lead.

The exchanges really caught fire in the second half. Roscommon had the wind and it looked ominous for Wicklow when Karl Mannion goaled in the first minute. However, Wicklow swept down field from the kick out; Furlong laid the ball off to Austin O’Malley and he shot to the net.

Wicklow enjoyed a dominant spell but Roscommon came back at their opponents with a string of points from Shine, Higgins, Conor Devaney, Karl Mannion and John Rogers to bring the sides level at 2-12 each after 58 minutes.

The exchanges were hectic but when Cathal Cregg picked out Higgins unmarked, the big number nine applied a clinical finish with a powerful drive for a vital score.

ROSCOMMON: G Claffey; S McDermott, D Ward, P Domican; N Carty, D Keenan, S Purcell; M Finneran, K Higgins (1-2); K Mannion (1-1), D Shine (0-3, 0-2 frees, 0-1 45), C Cregg, J Rogers (1-3, 0-2 frees), S O'Grady (0-2), J Dunning. Subs: C Devaney (0-3) for Dunning, P Garvey for Cregg.

WICKLOW: J Flynn; P Higgins, A Byrne, C Hyland; P Dalton, B McGrath, D Hayden; J Stafford, R Finn; T Hannon, P Cunningham, JP Dalton; A O'Malley (1-4, 0-1 free), S Furlong (1-8, 0-4 frees), L Glynn (0-3). Subs: D Siney for JP Dalton, P Earls (0-1) for P Cunningham.

Referee: B O'Shea(Dublin).