Kiltimagh blow Gaels away for county junior 'A' glory
Kiltimagh’s Aidan Cosgrove in action against Eastern Gaels Tony Aylward during the Mayo GAA Treanlaur Catering Junior A Football Championship final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park this afternoon. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Kiltimagh have made a swift return to intermediate football after they defeated Eastern Gaels 1-17 to 0-7 this afternoon to win the Treanlaur Catering Mayo Junior 'A' Football Championship, their first since 2009.
The first half was a low scoring affair, with Kiltimagh struggling early on in front of the posts. Eastern Gaels, appearing in their first ever county junior 'A' final, led 0-3 to 0-1 at the end of the first quarter but would score only one more point in the first half as Paul Kelly, Fionnan Burke, Jack Niland and Jordan Henry put the boys in blue 0-7 to 0-4 up at the break.
Mick Regan's side kept the Gaels at arms length, with a pair of Thomas Keegan points opening a five point game before the final quarter. The belief from Gaels was sapped away with every wide and turnover from Kiltimagh, and a stunning two-pointer from Paul Kelly put further daylight between the teams before substitute Aidan Cosgrove struck 1-2 late on as Kiltimagh won the Pete McDonnell Cup for the seventh time in their history.
Kiltimagh will now have a three-week break before they enter the Connacht club junior championship, where they will meet either St Croans or Cloonancool in the semi-final.
