Roche pulls the strings as Irishtown boys run riot
Pictured after their stunning victory in the Division 4 final are the boys of Irishtown NS who got the better of Killeen NS at MacHale Park in Castlebar. Picture: Michael Donnelly
The boys of Irishtown National School produced a stunning attacking masterclass to run out winners by an incredible 35 points in their half-hour Division 4 final against shell-shocked Killeen National School at MacHale Park last Tuesday.
The South Mayo school had made a blistering start, with Séamí Roche opening the scoring with a point before quickly setting up Luke Roche for the game’s first goal. Roche then added a goal of his own in the third minute and from thereon Irishtown – or Roche – simply never looked back. By full-time, in fact, Séamí had scored 5-11, all but two points of which was from open play, and you wonder if that might be some sort of Cumann na mBunscol record in Mayo.
Despite the early onslaught, Killeen refused to wilt. Points from Kieran Scanlon and Cillian Coyne helped them stay in touch during the opening exchanges, but Irishtown’s attacking threat was relentless.
Further goals from Kealan Raftery and Séamí Roche extended their lead, while Daniel Langan in the Killeen goal produced a fine save to deny Noah Dalton.
The chasers enjoyed their best spell midway through the half, raising a green flag on 10 minutes through Charlie Davitt. Just a minute later, Cillian Coyne slammed home a second goal to spark genuine hope among their supporters. Those hopes were dashed right on the stroke of half-time, however, as Séamí Roche completed his first-half hat-trick, helping Irishtown to a commanding 5-9 to 2-4 lead at the break.
The second-half followed a similar pattern. Irishtown struck twice more for goals inside the opening five minutes through Séamí Roche and Kealan Raftery, although Crevan O’Malley replied with a goal for Killeen. From there, the result was never in doubt. Irishtown powered on relentlessly, with Luke Roche adding two more goals, Bobby Murphy finding the net, and Séamí Roche completing the rout with yet another major. The final whistle brought a thoroughly deserved and emphatic victory for the Red and Black.
Irishtown NS: Dáire Ronane, Eithan Raftery, Kealan Raftery (2-1), Séamí Roche (5-11, 0-2f), Luke Roche (3-1), Bobby Murphy (1-4), Noah Donlon, Joseph Cosgrove, Luke Foran, David Casey, Michael Casey (0-1), Fiachra Caulfield, Paddy Fleming, Diarmaid Ronane, Caolan Conway-Ralph, John Kirrane, Colton Penny, Piotr Franciszek Pawlak, Conor Rattigan.
Killeen NS: Daniel Langan, Cillian Coyne (1-1), Senan Coyne, Rory Nee, Charlie Davitt (1-0), Kieran Scanlon (0-3), Crevan O’Malley (1-3), Frankie Kilcoyne, Jayden Fadden, Conan O’Grady, Martin Frazer, Tommy O’Malley.
REF: Vincent Neary
