Ros' survive early scares and brush Leitrim aside

Cock-a-hoop following their first round conquest of Mayo a week earlier, Roscommon entered the potential lion's den of Páirc Seán MacDiarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon, on Saturday last, as Leitrim stood in the way of a second successive Connacht U-21 FC final appearance for Jimmy Gacquin's charges. That tough encounter at Castlebar was ideal match practice against a Leitrim squad making their first appearance in Championship 2011, but past jousts at this venue between these Connacht neighbours have always carried a health warning for the Primrose and Blue. Furthermore when it became known that Roscommon would be missing the services of Niall Byrne, Brian Murtagh and attacking targetman Cathal Shine (injured), with the trio replaced on the starting 15 by Neil Collins, Donal Keane and Niall Kilroy, the travelling support in the estimated 800 crowd must have harboured some doubts in their collective minds. Such contemplations would have garnered proportions of realism almost immediately following the throw-in at a dry, but still bitterly cold, Páirc Seán. Mickey Moran's home squad went straight for the jugular in the opening minute, with both midfielder Keith Moran and full-forward Sean McNabola breaking through the Roscommon rearguard to unleash scud missiles at the Roscommon goals, both of which were rather luckily scrambled away. Although playing against the significant breeze, Leitrim did open the scoring with a point from midfielder Niall O'Connor, and Leitrim almost struck a lethal blow (7th minute) when corner forward Conor Beirne again beat the Roscommon cover only to see his shot whistle inches wide of the left upright. With Leitrim utilising wing-forward Roger Baker-Kenny as an extra defender, the Roscommon attack had seen little of the play up to the tenth minute, but this all changed in a three minute cameo which realised three unanswered points. Corner-forward Darren McDermott paved the way for midfielder Eugene Stritch to open Roscommon's account with a tenth-minute point, while a high ball from Donal Keane was latched onto by subsequent man of the match Niall Kilroy to land another (12th minute). The pressure was maintained on the Leitrim rearguard as Darren McDermott sent over an exquisite effort. But the siege was temporarily lifted as Leitrim forced their way downfield where centre forward Sean Moran won a free, pointed by Conor Beirne, for their first score in eleven minutes. There then followed what, on a luckier day for them, could have been Leitrim's third goal, when on 17 minutes a high ball from deep playing corner-forward Kevin Conlon landed just ahead of the in-rushing Conor Beirne, whose final touch ended just barely wide with the Roscommon defence at sixes and sevens. Certainly the title holders were enjoying the rub of the green at the Shannonside venue, but while we didn't know it then, this semi-final was about to undergo a definitive change in fortunes, as any further doubts about the eventual outcome would be progressively eliminated. Earlier defensive uncertainty gradually disappeared, as ably led by centre-back Niall Daly, the Roscommon rearguard became a consistent citadel of resistance. The Padraig Pearses star launched a 23rd minute forward foray, drawing a foul which was punished by Scott Oates. And while Leitrim replied minutes later when Conor Beirne (their only forward to raise a flag in the game) sent over a point, which hit the post before skidding over, Roscommon really let loose from this until half-time. A quick thinking Scott Oates cleverly spotted the totally unmarked Niall Daly, who pointed from play; on-fire Niall Kilroy beat three defenders before picking out Darren McDermott who added another; Shane Regan penalised a pick-up by a Leitrim defender with a pointed free, while Niall Kilroy registered his side's fourth unanswered point to leave Roscommon ahead at the break by 0-8 to 0-3, but facing the wind in the second half. Would Leitrim stage a recovery? Roscommon, now utilising the long ball to effect, extended their lead with a brace of points. Shane Regan pointed a free (32nd minute), while a lovely move downfield involving Shane Regan, Eamon Bannon, Scott Oates and Niall Kilroy saw the Fuerty clubman secure his third from play just three minutes in. A damaged finger forced the retiral of Leitrim's Morgan Quinn, but points from Keith Moran (Lucan Sarsfields) and Conor Beirne gave hope of a revival by the Breffni side. But when midfielder Moran fisted wide, after a centre from Roger Baker-Kenny, any remaining chance for Mickey Moran's team faded away. Bodies behind the ball, no through road, diversions in place, became the stock in trade of a now super-confident Roscommon rearguard who, from the 42nd minute onwards, closed out this match in decisive manner. Five further points were added courtesy of Shane Regan (3, 2 frees), Scott Oates (free) and Niall Kilroy, as a besieged Leitrim defence were forced into the concession of frees, most of which were converted by the Roscommon marksmen. Leitrim had the final say when Conor Beirne pointed a free four minutes into injury time, exactly 25 minutes since their last score, but Roscommon's passage to a final meeting with Galway had long since been assured. And so, the young Rossies are only a game away from securing back-to-back titles, something not achieved since this competition was incepted in 1964. Those early scores against the Leitrim men were causes of concern, but one felt that Jimmy Gacquin's side had more in the tank if circumstances warranted. A telling statistic regarding their strength in depth is that, as well as the three aforementioned absentees on Saturday, they are still without Michael Higgins (one of the stars of the 2010 campaign), and the St Brigid's duo of Darren Dolan and Eoin Sheehy. On a day when Niall Kilroy deservedly took the man of the match award, Shane Regan also impressed in a forward division where Darren McDermott also showed up well. Naos Connaughton kept another clean sheet, while the half-back trio of Eamonn Bannon, Niall Daly and Paddy Brogan improved after a shaky start, and the midfield battle was won by Eugene Stritch and Aaron Fehilly. It's twenty years since Leitrim took their second Connacht title in the grade when they beat Galway in 1991, while they lost to the same opposition in their last final appearance in 1998. Goalie Philip Farrelly kept his citadel intact, while central defenders Mark Beirne and Sean McWeeney, midfielders Niall O'Connor and Keith Moran (early on), and Conor Beirne, up front, were the best of the rest. Connacht Final Holders Roscommon now play Galway (who beat Sligo 2-20 to 0-7 in the other semi-final) in the decider on Saturday April 2 (at a Galway venue). ROSCOMMON: Naos Connaughton (St. Dominic's), Cathal Duignan (Clann na nGael), Neil Collins, Ciaran Cafferkey, Eamon Bannon, Niall Daly (Padraig Pearses) (0-1), Paddy Brogan, Eugene Stritch (0-1), Aaron Fehilly (Padraig Pearses), Donal Keane, Scott Oates (0-2, 2f), Shane Regan (0-5, 4f), Niall Kilroy (0-4, 1f), Colin Compton, Darren McDermott (0-2). Sub: Eamon Kenny for Compton (60). LEITRIM: Philip Farrelly, Shane Ryan, Mark Beirne, James O'Brien, Jason Beirne, Sean McWeeney, Niall Clancy, Keith Moran (0-1), Niall O'Connor (0-1), Roger Baker-Kenny, Shane Moran, Morgan Quinn, Kevin Conlon, Sean McNabola, Conor Beirne (0-4, 2f). Subs: Darragh Flynn for Ryan (H/T), Ciaran Gilheaney for Quinn (inj. 37), Thomas Cornyn for Clancy (44), Ryan Burke for McNabola (47). REFEREE: Vincent Neary (Mayo).