Mayo champions cruise into Connacht intermediate football final
Crossmolina are into the Connacht intermediate football championship final, where they will meet Roscommon champions Elphin next weekend at Dr. Hyde Park, following a 2-13 to 1-7 win over Galway opponents St. Michael's, writes John Melvin.
Having had a seven-point lead taken away from them by a battling St. Michael’s side, Crossmolina dominated the second half of this semi-final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar, on a cold but dry Saturday afternoon.
The Galway champions, who led just once in this game, failed to score in the second half, but their demise must be seen in the context of having to play the second half a man down following a straight red card shown to their top scorer in the championship, Gary Higgins, just before half-time.
The reason for the red card remains a mystery, with the referee brandishing it to Higgins after consulting the umpires, the most rational assumption that is was related to an off-the-ball incident.
Leading by 2-2 to 0-1 after just 15 minutes, Crossmolina looked to have already booked their place in the final but by half-time, St. Michael's had battled their way back to take the lead, scoring 1-5 without reply, their goal coming off a 45' which was deflected to the net by Ronan Mac Giolla Rí.
But it was Crossmolina who struck for the first of their brace of goals after just eight minutes, Niall Coggins finishing to the net soccer-style after a superb move involving Jordan Flynn and Fionan Duffy.
We thought we had seen the best of the three goals in this game but Crossmolina’s second was contrived by sheer class by Conor Loftus, who was rock-solid at centre-back.
He ventured forward on this occasion to swing his boot in the air following great work by Niall Coggins and Diarmuid Walsh to guide the ball to the net and put his side 2-2 to 0-1 ahead.
By half-time all that had changed. The goal acted as the catalyst for a St. Michael's revival and they reeled off five unanswered points, with Sean Sommerville, Fionn Cruise, Eoin Kerin, with a brilliant point, and Brian Harlow, with two fine efforts, leaving the Galway champions leading at the break by 1-7 to 2-3.
However, just before half-time they lost their top forward, Gary Higgins, to a red card, and with his departure the hopes of St. Michael’s making the Connacht final really ended.
They not alone failed to get a shot off in anger in the second half, but never threatened the Crossmoina goal as Brian Benson’s side took control, Fionan Duffy taking centre-stage with the levelling point after just three minutes and then kicking three more on the bounce.
Conor Loftus, James Maheady, Patrick Leddy and Diarmuid Coggins all contributed as well to what ended up being a 10-point winning margin for the Mayo champions.
*See Tuesday's print edition for a full report