Clann crash out as Ros’ Gaels stage dramatic comeback

Roscommon SFC Group B: Roscommon Gaels 2-17 Clann na nGael 1-18

By Matt Scally

BODIES slumped on the ground at the final whistle, Clann na nGael were left wondering just how they let this one slip from their grasp at Kiltoom last Sunday.

A blistering first-half display filled with energy and guile had seen them overcome an early setback to dominate the midfield battle and open up an eight-point lead by half-time.

When Darra Pettit’s early second-half point stretched that gap to nine, all signs pointed to the demolition job continuing.

But in the era of the new rules, the two-pointer is so often king and a lead of any kind is rarely safe.

A two-point free from Rory Carthy, named to start but only introduced at half-time, gave Roscommon Gaels the faintest hope of a momentum shift.

Next, a superb two-pointer from Richard Walsh had Clann supporters flashing anxious glances at the scoreboard for the first time and when the same player repeated the trick two minutes later, Clann’s lead had been evaporated down to three in the space of ten breathless minutes.

A John McGuinness point with 15 to play increased the tension in the ground and those earlier anxious looks turned to disbelief two minutes later when a Peter Gillooly shot dropped short only to be gathered in by Carthy, who spun and finished expertly to the net - from nine points down, Gaels had the lead for the first time since the 12th minute.

A 45 from Clann goalkeeper Sean Kelly levelled things again and stopped the rot. A fisted effort from Feargal Lennon saw them retake the lead before a Ciaran Lennon free gave Clann a two-point advantage with seven to play.

But the momentum seemed irreversibly with the Gaels and two quick responses from McGuinness and Gillooly saw the game tied up once more.

Gilooly followed this up with a huge two-pointer with just a minute to play as Gaels made their break for the finish line.

A David McManus point left just the minimum between the sides but the final word went to Senan Lambe, who took the next ball the length of the field unchallenged before pointing at his ease.

Clann now needed a two-pointer to keep their season on life support or a goal to revive it completely. And they thought they had the latter in the third minute of injury time when Gaels ‘keeper James Featherstone dropped a high, dropping ball over the line having initially fielded it well. Referee Dermot Lyons insisted he had been pushed, however, and with that went Clann’s final hope of salvation.

For Clann, although the manner of defeat was galling enough, the implications of the result are catastrophic. After just two games in an admittedly tough group, Declan O’Flaherty’s team become the first to exit this year's championship and Clann are now heading to a relegation play-off for the first time since 2019.

No such worries for the Gaels, however, although their situation going into Sunday’s game wasn’t quite as precarious. Even a loss and they would have been still (barely) alive. As it happened, their season is now very much up and running with a home game against Boyle to come in the final group game. It’s been 22 years since their last title but they will hope that a rousing comeback win like this can inspire a deep run in the 2026 championship.

Earlier in the afternoon, Gaels had in fact gotten off to a flyer when a Walsh free was followed up by a Peter Gillooly goal, the lively corner-forward capitalising on a misjudgement from Sean Kelly and tapping home to an unguarded net.

Clann’s response was as impressive as it was emphatic, outscoring their opponents by 1-13 to 0-2 in the following 20 minutes.

Ultan Harney got them up and running on eight minutes and points from the Lennons, Josh and Ciaran ,as well as a double from the tireless Emmet Kenny saw them claim the lead for the first time by the 12th.

Harney and Lennon (Ciaran) added two more before Gillooly found the range up the other end on 17 minutes.

But Clann were now rampant and had, by the 26th minute, extended their lead out to seven with Ciaran Lennon, Graham Pettit, Alan McManus and another eye-catching score from Kenny all putting the final flourishes on their midfield superiority.

When Paddy Gavin palmed the ball to the net on 27 to open up a ten-point gap, the game looked only to be going one direction. By the time the final whistle was blown, however, all had changed utterly.

Player of the match: Peter Gillooly (Roscommon Gaels). Top scorer on the day but also one of the Gaels players that put together a complete performance for the entire 60 - the corner forward keeping their heads above water when they were struggling in the first half and grabbing crucial scores in the second too. Richard Walsh’s double of two-pointers proved crucial to the Gaels comeback while John McManus, just back from a summer in America and introduced late for the injured Cian Connolly, showed tremendous leadership throughout.

For Clann, Emmet Kenny, particularly in the first half, was best on show. Ciaran Lennon too had a fine opening 30, while Ultan Harney showed admirable determination throughout despite clearly suffering from a knock.

Scorers - Roscommon Gaels: P. Gillooly 1-4 (1tp); R. Carthy 1-2 (1tp); R. Walsh 0-5 (1f, 2tp); R. Dowling 0-3 (1f); J. McGuinness 0-2; S. Lambe 0–1. Clann: C. Lennon 0-5 (3f, 1tpf); P. Gavin 1-0; E. Kenny 0-3; U. Harney and J. Lennon 0-2 each; G. Pettit, D. Pettit, S. Kelly (45), D. McManus, Feargal Lennon and A McManus 0-1 each.

Roscommon Gaels - James Featherstone; Joey O’Malley, Ciaran O’Reilly, Jack Donnelly; John McManus, Tim Lambe, Conor Grogan; Senan Lambe, Michael Gillooly; Ryan Dowling, John McGuinness, Adam Killian; Peter Gillooly, Richard Walsh, Scott Oates. Subs: Rory Dunne for Grogan (28 mins), Rory Carthy for Oates (half-time), William O’Doherty for Killian (50).

Clann na nGael - Sean Kelly; Michael Harrington, Darra Pettit, Tom Lennon; Feargal Lennon, Paddy Gavin, David Connaughton; Ultan Harney, Alan McManus; Emmet Kenny, David McManus, Josh Lennon; Ciaran Lennon, Graham Pettit, Paul McManus. Subs: Tom Sheehan for P. McManus (41 mins), Oisin O’Flaherty for G. Pettit (47), Shane Gavin for Connaughton (50), Fearghus Lennon for J. Lennon (50).

Referee - Dermot Lyons.