Roscommon net five first-half goals in comfortable New York win

Connacht SFC quarter-final: New York 1-10 (1-0-10) Roscommon 5-22 (5-1-20)

A first-half red card for Daire Cregg was the only downside of an otherwise straightforward Connacht quarter-final victory for Roscommon on their return to Gaelic Park in New York for the first time in 10 years.

The 2019 provincial champions overpowered the Exiles from the early stages and five first-half goals killed the game as a contest.

Enda Smith netted after just 90 seconds to give Roscommon a dream start and although Jack McKenna responded with a goal at the other end three minutes later, the visitors continued to attack at will.

Further goals followed from championship debutants Rob and Darragh Heneghan, Dylan Ruane and Eoin McCormack to leave Roscommon 19 points ahead at the break, 5-11 to 1-4.

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The visitors attacked from all angles from the start, with Daire Cregg, Conor Ryan and Eoin Ward all picking off points, goalkeeper Conor Carroll also landing two 45s into the wind.

Roscommon’s Daire Cregg in action against New York's Cian O’Dea. Photograph: Ed Mulholland/Inpho

However, Cregg’s red card for an off-the-ball incident involving New York’s Seán Wilson was the major talking point afterwards.

New York’s lack of match practice caught up with them from an early stage, but Ronan McGinley’s side never threw in the towel, with six second-half points from Frank O’Reilly and Killian Butler a reward for their gallant effort.

But despite being down to 14 players for the entire second period, Roscommon shot 11 points, the best coming from Robert Heneghan, Diarmuid Murtagh, Shane Cunnane and Enda Smith.

Roscommon will now meet Mayo in the provincial semi-final in Castlebar in two weeks’ time while New York’s attention will turn to the Tailteann Cup.

NEW YORK: J Grace; T O’Riordan, S Wilson, C O’Dea; J Foley (0-0-1), M Queenan, R Wharton; E McElligott, C Kennedy; D Hunt, F O’Reilly (0-0-5, 2f), T Mathers; C Keenan, J McKenna (1-0-1), K Butler (0-0-2). Subs: J Walsh for Foley (26 mins), S Brosnan for O’Riordan, J Savage for Mathers (both h-t), J Kennedy for Keenan (60).

ROSCOMMON: C Carroll (0-0-2′45s); P Gavin, C Keogh, E McCormack (1-0-0); E Ward (0-0-1), R Daly, S Lambe (0-1-0); K Doyle (0-0-2), C Ryan (0-0-1); D Ruane (1-0-1), E Smith (1-0-2), D Heneghan (1-0-1); D Murtagh (0-0-2, 1f), D Cregg (0-0-3, 1f), R Heneghan (1-0-2). Subs: C Hand for D Heneghan (41 mins), C Neary for Lambe (47), S Cunnane (0-0-2) for Doyle (49), N Higgins for Gavin (50), P Carey (0-0-1f) for Murtagh (59).

Referee: B Cawley (Kildare).