Mitchels eventually wear down Roscommon champions

Castlebar Mitchels .... 3-8

Clann na nGael .........0-13

ROCKED by two goals less than two minutes after the throw-in, Roscommon champions Clann na nGael staged a remarkable recovery, but were eventually forced into submission by Castlebar Mitchels in the semi-final of the Connaught Club SFC at a wet and windy Hyde Park in Roscommon today.

The Mayo champions started the game as if they were going to steamroll their opponents when Richie Feeney and Barry Moran found the net within two minutes of the throw-in.

And when Danny Kirby nailed a third goal for Castlebar on 22 minutes, the game looked all but over.

However, the battling qualities of the home side soon surfaced as they gradually clawed their way back, mainly through the excellent freetaking of Donal Shine who ended the game with 0-8, eight points from frees.

By half time Gaels had reduced a seven-point deficient to just four, 3-3 to 0-8.

The alarm bells began to ring for Castlebar when their lead was cut to just two points within two minutes of the restart, Donie Shine with two more frees, one from his left foot.

It could have been even closer, if not level, as Clann na nGael had two bad wides, while Aidan Walsh’s interest in the game ended on 35 minutes when he was black-carded for a trip on a Clann na nGael player.

However, Castlebar, under pressure in a lot of areas, most notably at midfield,  stopped the rot with an Neil Douglas free and a point from man of the match, Paddy Durcan.

These were soon followed by another point from Shane Hopkins and the Mayo champions were back on track with 10 minutes remaining.

Substitute James Durcan had a point from play with his first touch and that eased the pressure as another substitute, Cian Coetello, also found the target to open up a five-point gap.

The Roscommon champions battled gamely to the end and a double save, first from Tom Cunniffe and then from goalkeeper Rory Byrne, denied Clann na Gael the goal which might have produce an upset.

The Mitchels meet Corofin in the Connaught final on Sunday week in Tuam knowing they have work to do if they are to retrieve the trophy they last won two years ago.