Conor Coyle captained Four Roads to Roscommon SHC glory at Dr Hyde Park. Photo by Roscommon GAA
Roscommon SHC Final
Four Roads 3-12 St. Dominic’s 2-11
By Ian Cooney at Dr Hyde Park
Four Roads prolonged St. Dominic’s 25-year famine by producing a powerful scoring surge in the final quarter to complete three-in-a-row, winning their 37th Roscommon senior hurling title.
St. Dominic’s, with a strong wind at their backs, had blitzed the defending champions with two Mickey Joe Egan goals to lead by 10 points approaching half time, but Conor Morris’ goal just before the break was to be a game-changer.
Even at the three-quarter stage, Dominic’s still were six points to the good, but Four Roads finally translated their possession into scores to outscore their opponents by 2-6 to 0-2, with Adam Donnelly’s injury-time goal confirming the return of the Mickey Cunniffe Cup to Tisrara.
St. Dominic’s made an excellent start and corner forward Egan drilled a low shot to the corner of the net inside three minutes to settle any early nerves.
Four Roads didn’t score until the 22nd minute as Dominic’s, especially their half-back line of Nathan O’Connor, Micheál Byrne and Jason Martin, physically dominated the opposition’s attack.
When Morris opened his side’s account, Dominic’s had nudged their advantage out of 1-6 thanks to further scores from Egan, Jack Lohan, Naos Connaughton and Gavin Staunton, and when Egan grabbed his second goal after 23 minutes, Martin ‘Thady’ Beirne’s side were in a great position.
But a goal from Morris, who ended up with a personal tally of 2-5, just before the break took Four Roads off life support, although they still trailed by seven points at the change of ends.
The third quarter was scrappy with mistakes plentiful on both sides. Four Roads goalkeeper Noel Fallon goaled straight from a puckout, highlighting the strength of the breeze, but it was ruled out by referee Aaron Clogher after he consulted with his umpires.
Dominic’s lost their talisman, Naos Connaughton, to injury and eventually the dam burst in the final 15 minutes as Four Roads finally translated their possession into scores.
Morris pounced for his second goal with six minutes remaining, and the Four Roads scores kept coming as Donnelly and Morris (’65) brought the sides level.
Fallon and Egan swapped frees to hint that extra time was on the horizon. But Adam Donnelly latched onto Rory Coyle’s sideline cut to find the net, via a deflection, to complete his side’s remarkable turnaround and confirm Four Roads as champions once more.
Scorers for Four Roads: Conor Morris 2-5 (3fs, 1 65), Adam Donnelly 1-1, Rory Coyle 0-2, Noel Fallon 0-2 (1f), Cathal Dolan 0-1, Darren Fallon 0-1.
Scorers for St. Dominic’s: Mickey Joe Egan 2-2 (1f), Jack Lohan 0-3, Naos Connaughton 0-3 (2fs), Gavin Staunton 0-2, Mark Miley 0-1 (0-1f).
Four Roads: Noel Fallon; Jimmy Hoey, Darren Fallon, Conor Coyle; Rory Coyle, Jack Donnelly, Tommy Morris; Liam Óg Coyle, Mikey Lohan; Cathal Dolan, Conor Mulry, Brian Lawlor; Conor Morris, Brendan Mulry, Brian Mannion.
Subs: Eamon Mulry for Hoey 22, Trevor Fallon for Mannion 25, Adam Donnelly for Lohan 41, Jamie Kelly for Conor Coyle 58, Brian Mannion for Óg Coyle 58, Tommy Doyle for Byrne 60.
St. Dominic’s: Mark Miley; Mark O’Malley, Mike Feeley, Ethan Connaughton; Nathan O’Connor, Micheál Byrne, Jason Martin; Aiden Hoare, Seán Kilcline; Colm Lyons, Jack Lohan, Connell Kennelly; Mickey Joe Egan, Naos Connaughton, Gavin Staunton.
Subs: Ruairí Kilcline for Lyons 40, John Murray for Connaughton 52, Rory Dempsey for O’Connor 57, Barry Killion for Hoare 57.
Referee: Aaron Clogher (Pádraig Pearses).
