Roscommon denied victory as Bradshaw earns NUI Galway a share of the spoils

Roscommon were leading 0-8 to 1-4 as this Connacht FBD Senior Football League tie entered additional time, but a late, late free, won by Conor Devaney, was accurately converted by Galway"s Gareth Bradshaw to force a share of the points in a contest played in an almost continuous downpour at Kiltoom. With weather conditions primarily responsible in reducing the attendance to an estimated 200, those present saw two sides who served up an exciting, if necessarily scrappy at times, encounter between protagonists who arrived at the always excellent Newpark venue with first round victories (Roscommon over Sligo IT and NUIG over Mayo) under their respective belts, from the previous weekend. Roscommon manager Fergal O"Donnell and his fellow selectors Stephen Bohan, Ross Shannon, Declan Hoare and Mark Dowd, without doubt, anticipated a much stronger challenge from the Galway students than materialised against Sligo IT at Boyle"s Abbey Park. This was duly signalled, as early as the 25th second, when Cathal McHugh, lining out on his familiar home venue, emulated his early heroics against Mayo. From referee Eamon O"Grady"s throw-in at a wet and windy Kiltoom, midfielder Gareth Bradshaw launched a NUIG attack, continued by centre-forward Mark Gottsche. The ball came to Cathal McHugh, and the young St. Brigid"s sharpshooter staked an early claim for selection on the Roscommon panel, when giving custodian Geoffrey Claffey no chance from close-in, and simultaneously a dream start for the students against the significant wind. It was also an early New Year welcome to the Newpark surroundings for NUIG boss Eoin O"Donnellan, who takes over as St. Brigid"s senior team manager for 2009, and a statement of subsequent intent for a Maroon brigade, who made only one change from their listed programme lineout, Sligo"s Shane Stenson called into left-half-forward instead of Carlow"s Paul Broderick (the latter scored nine points in his college"s 0-16 to 1-7 win over the Rossies in last year"s corresponding match). It was a sharp wake-up call for the Primrose and Blue, who themselves started with Ger Heneghan (a flu victim in previous days), replacing Robert Gaynor in attack. Aided by the wind which blew from the road end of the venue, and stung by that opening NUIG torpedo, Ros" showed admirable resilience by clawing their way back into strong contention. Close tackling and disciplined defending - hallmarks of the all-conquering minor football team of 2006 - were very much in evidence as the students" attack would, amazingly, not score again from play in this contest, but, it must be admitted, this was not a day for marksmanship, as subsequent events would unfold. A trio of points from play - courtesy of newcomer Damien Keenehan (Boyle), Michael Duignan (Padraig Pearses), and a well-worked Seanie McDermott effort (with Brian Higgins and Keenehan again prominent in the build-up) - had Roscommon on terms by the 9th minute, but a tendency to fritter away scorable opportunities entered their play. Their wide count had, frustratingly, increased to eight by half-time, many from eminently favourable positions. Keenehan, from a McDermott pass, should have made more use of a gilt-edged 12th minute goal opportunity, with the Galway college regaining their lead thanks to a splendid 14th minute point by attacking half-back and St. Brigid"s clubman Peter Domican. Both Roscommon midfielders Brian Higgins and Karol Mannion, displaying a huge work ethic, wrested the initiative in this sector from an earlier impressive NUIG duo, and they would go ahead again thanks to a brace of points from Ger Heneghan (frees) and a smashing 27th minute effort from Gary Cox, following a great crossfield pass from Karol Mannion. Athlone clubman John Connellan, introduced in the 7th minute for the injured Mark Gottsche, was working hard in creating opportunities for the students, and punished a foul on himself with a 29th minute free, but Ger Heneghan reciprocated this, two minutes into added-on time, with his third pointed free. That gave Roscommon a 0-7 to 1-2 lead, which should have been more when taking missed chances into account. Half-time speculation among the faithful Roscommon supporters who braved the elements centred on whether that slender advantage would be enough. An interested spectator at Sunday"s game was Galway senior manager Liam Sammon, whose team virtually assured themselves of progress with wins over Sligo and Leitrim respectively. The anticipated NUIG renaissance, when now enjoying second-half benefit of the strong wind, would not subsequently materialise on this occasion. The second moiety, which would prove an eminently dour and free-ridden affair, with neither participating side raising a flag from play. The ubiquitous yellow card made its appearance with three players - two Roscommon - replaced for indiscretions in this period, but the referee, overall, made allowances for conditions when implementing this debatable new counteractant to discipline, in a game which, for the most part, was sportingly contested. It was now NUIG"s turn to display profligacy when accumulating five second-half wides, three of these especially terrible misses. A brace of pointed frees, per John Connellan and Conor Devaney, had NUIG level on the scoreboard nine minutes in - these came either side of a Connellan piledriver which goalie Geoffrey Claffey did well to scramble to safety. Roscommon"s only score of this half came in the 44th minute when Ger Heneghan punished a foul on himself by pointing the resultant free, but they had an opportunity to strike a fell blow to the College men when the hard grafting Brian Higgins earned a 48th minute penalty. However, Ger Heneghan"s spot-kick was excellently saved by Donegal custodian Liam Grant. This was followed almost immediately by a bad NUIG wide at the other end by Cathal Kenny. In the 14 minutes or so left for play, defences especially dominated, but Gary Cox, top scorer the previous week against Sligo IT with 1-7, had a half-chance of a score, but the opportunity was lost. In ensuing play, the referee didn"t endear himself to some of the Roscommon supporters with a couple of very questionable frees to the students, but, as added-time arrived at an ever-darkening evening, it looked as if Fergal O"Donnell"s men would prevail, until Gareth Bradshaw turned NUIG saviour with that pointed free. This means that Roscommon"s third round game, against Mayo on Sunday at Ballyhaunis, is of critical importance if the Rossies are to make progress in this competition. SCORERS - Roscommon: G Heneghan (0-4, 4f); D Keenehan (0-1); M Duignan (0-1); S McDermott (0-1); G Cox (0-1). NUIG: C McHugh (1-0); J Connellan (0-2, 2f), P Domican (0-1). C Devaney (0-1f), G Bradshaw (0-1f). ROSCOMMON: Geoffrey Claffey; Paddy O"Connor, John Nolan, Paul Kelly (P. Pearses); David Casey, David Flynn (Clann na nGael), Seán Purcell; Karol Mannion (St. Brigid"s), Brian Higgins; Gary Cox, Damien Keenehan, Seán McDermott; Ger Heneghan, Michael Duignan (P. Pearses), Fintan Cregg. Subs: Senan Kilbride (St. Brigid"s) for Kelly (17 mins); Paul Gleeson for Nolan (h/t); Donal Ward for Mannion (yellow card, 33); Paul Kelly (P. Pearses) for Flynn (39); Keith Waldron (St. Aidan"s) for Duignan (40); Derek Connellan for Cregg (yellow card, 54). NUIG: Liam Grant; Patrick Healy, Ger Cafferkey, Neil Ewing; Greg Begley, Conor Leyden, Peter Domican (St. Brigid"s); Gareth Bradshaw, Kieran Conroy; Cathal Kenny, Mark Gottsche, Shane Stenson; Conor Devaney (Roscommon), David O"Gara (Roscommon), Cathal McHugh (St. Brigid"s). Subs: John Connellan (Athlone) for Gottsche (inj., 7); Robert English (Tang) for Conroy (yellow card, 46); Tomás Crowe for Leyden (51). REFEREE: Eamon O"Grady (Leitrim), who dished out 3 yellow cards, and was, apart from a few late questionable decisions, overall satisfactory under poor conditions.