Date Published: 18-May-2011

An Cheathru Rua 1-17

Killanin 5-2

Cian O’Connell

at Pearse Stadium

AN interesting first round senior football championship encounter that was stuffed with goals, drama, and controversy eventually ended with a merited win for An Cheathru Rua at Pearse Stadium on Saturday evening.

Rarely will a team score five goals and still lose, and while that is what happened to Killanin very few could argue that An Cheathru Rua weren’t the more competent team. True their defence was leaky, but with the de Paors so clinical in attack at the opposite end  of the pitch the Gaeltacht outfit were utterly deserving victors.

Since their famous 1996 adventure that yielded a shock County title, An Cheathru Rua have only flickered occasionally, but following a fine triumph over Killererin on their own patch in the League recently the feeling out west was that this current crop might be capable of taking a prized scalp or two again. There was evidence to support this belief, but An Cheathru Rua will need to cut out the lapses in concentration that allowed Killanin remain in the hunt late on.

Cillin de Paor, omitted from Tomas O’Flatharta’s championship panel, was outstanding, ending the hour with a personal tally of 1-5 as An Cheathru Rua made a strong opening against a Killanin dotted with under 21s. Killanin have been forced to blood youngsters over the past few years, and An Cheathru Rua were eager to pounce after Stephen Kavanagh had kicked the underdogs into a seventh minute lead.

With Cillin de Paor able to cover the ground, An Cheathru Rua were moving the ball nicely early on and they hit four on the bounce. Cillin de Paor lofted two tidy efforts on the run, while Shane O’Súilleabháin and Eoin O’Flatharta also pointed.

Paul Maloney responded with a free for Killanin before Ciaran de Paor curled over the point of the game. Killanin, though, now possess Patrick Sweeney, a forceful forward capable of manufacturing and taking chances, and the Galway under 21 hero obliged in the 25th minute.

There seemed to be few options for Sweeney when gathering possession 30 yards from the An Cheathru Rua posts, but the Killanin attacker bulldozed his way past two defenders, and slammed a measured shot beyond Tomas O’hAilín’s despairing dive.

For the first time in the contest An Cheathru Rua were being examined, but they were still able to move in front at the interval as centre back Coilin O’Conghaile ventured upfield to stroke over a tonic point that left them 0-6 to 1-2 ahead.

After the break An Cheathru inflicted further damage hitting 1-4 without reply as Cillin de Paor cut through to blast a venomous 35th minute goal. Ciaran de Paor was showing well too as Micheal O’Maille’s charges buffer stood at 1-10 to 1-2 by the 39th minute.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.