Kilmeena denied in Connacht final by Roscommon champions
Kilmeena’s Colin Hastings is closely marked by Strokestown’s Keith Murphy during the Connacht GAA AIB Intermediate Football Championship Club final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar, this afternoon. Picture: David Farrell Photography
It was a day to forget for Kilmeena as two goals in each half for Strokestown saw the Roscommon champions deservedly crowned AIB Connacht Club IFC champions this afternoon in Castlebar.
Strokestown led 1-4 to 0-3 at the end of the first quarter when Colin Compton got on the end of Stephen Tighe’s pass for their first green flag of the afternoon.
After Diarmuid McGann and John McGlynn traded frees, McGinley capitalised on a failed clearance by Kilmeena goalkeeper Paul Groden to fire in Strokestown’s second goal soccer style on 18 minutes.
Groden made up for this with a pair of saves in the second quarter as Kilmeena struggled to keep Strokestown at bay. Two points each from Liam Moore and John McGlynn kept Kilmeena on their toes but Finn, Tighe and a huge two-pointer from McGinley put Strokestown 2-9 to 0-8 ahead at half-time.
Strokestown would be forced to play the opening period of the second half with fourteen men after Finn was shown a black card for a trip on Carney late in the first, although it would be the end of Carney’s game following a collision with teammate Ciaran Kilcoyne moments before.
The loss of Carney was a bitter blow for Kilmeena, who failed to score despite having an extra man. A Stephen Staunton two-pointer on 43 minutes stopped the rot, but Kilmeena’s race was run five minutes later when Stephen Tighe bagged Strokestown’s third goal and substitute Evan Moran netted a fourth on 54 minutes after he was quickest to react to Shane McGinley’s effort that came back off the crossbar.
Strokestown will now play the Ulster champions in the All-Ireland semi-final on the opening weekend of January.
