Connacht final fever heats up in Roscommon

Excitement is building in Roscommon ahead of the county's participation in both the Connacht senior and minor football finals on Sunday week, July 17. The Roscommon senior team, the defending Connacht champions, face Mayo in the provincial decider and the Rossies will have home advantage in Dr Hyde Park (throw-in: 2pm). Fergal O'Donnell's charges booked their place in the Connacht final with a semi-final win over Leitrim, having defeated New York in the opening round, while Mayo have defeated London (after extra-time) and old rivals Galway en route to the decider. With the Roscommon minors taking on Galway in the Connacht MFC final in the curtain-raiser at 12 noon, there is expected to be a huge primrose and blue contingent in Hyde Park on Sunday week. The Roscommon minors will face Galway in the Connacht decider after the Tribesmen recorded a comfortable 4-13 to 0-11 victory over Leitrim at Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday last. Goals from Jerry Kelleher and Shane Maughan inside the opening six minutes gave Galway the ideal start. After the restart, a second goal from Kelleher and a fourth green flag from substitute Ian Burke embellished Galway's victory. Roscommon progressed to the Connacht minor final with an impressive 3-8 to 1-8 win over holders Mayo at Castlebar last Sunday week. Tickets for the Connacht final are going on sale next Tuesday, July 12 (only on that date), in Monksland Community Centre (7pm-7.45) and Clann na nGael Clubhouse in Johnstown (8pm-9.30). Ticket prices are as follows: Stand €35; Sideline seating €25; Terrace €20; U-16 tickets €5 (none for covered stand). Family tickets (adult price and €5 per child) must be booked by Thursday, July 7. Students and OAPs will get money back at the venue with valid ID at Turnstile #1 and #18. The Clann na nGael club have informed patrons that tickets must be pre-booked by emailing your requirements to secretary.clann.Roscommon@gaa.ie or by texting your name and the number and type of tickets required to 087-6954382 or call after 6pm in the evening. Otherwise, tickets are sold first come first served. Tickets will be sold/distributed in the club on the evening of Tuesday July 12 only. There will be no tickets in the club after that date. Tickets will continue to be available at the county board offices, in Roscommon, up until Friday, July 15. In the Shannonside FM Roscommon SFC, St Aidan's will face neighbours Clann na nGael in the final relegation play-off and the losers will be demoted to the intermediate ranks for next year. St Aidan's were defeated by St Croan's last weekend (report on page 38), and now face a do-or-die battle against Clann (this match has yet to be arranged). Westmeath SFC Meanwhile, the times and venues for the next round of the Shay Murtagh Precast Westmeath Senior Football Championship have been revealed. The next round of games will take place on Saturday, July 16, and Sunday, July 17. On July 16, there's a double header in Cusack Park with Bunbrosna facing The Downs (6pm) in Group 2, with Tyrrellspass taking on St Loman's in Group 1 at 7.30pm. On July 17, there are four games down for decision, with Tang and Cusack Park the venues for two double headers. At 1pm in Tang, Tubberclair take on St Malachy's (Group 1) and this will be followed by the local derby clash in Group 2 between Athlone and Maryland (2.30pm). Athlone have lost their opening two matches and are, therefore, under major pressure to claim a victory. Later on Sunday, Castledaly - another team with two defeats from their opening two games - face a must-win clash in Group 1 against Killucan (Cusack Park, 6pm). This game will be followed by the Group 2 meeting of Garrycastle and Mullingar Shamrocks, a repeat of last year's county final. Both Garrycastle and Shamrocks have two wins from their two games, and this game could have a major bearing on who tops the group and therefore goes straight into the semi-finals. The Jasca Sports Westmeath Intermediate Football Championship also resumes on the weekend of July 16-17. On July 16, Rosemount face Tang in a Group 1 clash at Ballymore (7.30pm), while Moate All Whites meet Castletown-Finea/Coole/Whitehall (Group 2) at Castletown-Geoghegan at the same time. This coming weekend, the focus in Westmeath is on hurling with a number of SHC matches on Saturday and Sunday. Elsewhere, Ballymore club Fr Dalton's play Crookedwood in the Slevin's Coaches Westmeath IHC on Friday (Robinstown, 6.45pm). Details of all the upcoming Westmeath GAA fixtures are on page 36 of this week's Westmeath Independent.