Denvir and Ó Griofa produce the goods in Connemara championship clash

Micheál Breathnach 1-10

An Cheathrú Rua  0-10

BILLED as the battle of the Connemara Gaeltacht, CLG Micheál Breathnach deservedly took the spoils, beating An Cheathrú Rua by a goal in the first round of the Galway senior football championship.

An Cheathrú Rua will rue wastefulness in the opening half at Pearse Stadium on Sunday when they struggled desperately to find the target despite enjoying a decent share of possession.

But overall Micheál Breathnach was the better team with their inter-county players, in particular Seán Denvir and Peadar Óg Ó Gríofa, and to a lesser extent Fintán Ó Curraoin, guiding them to victory.

Raiding wing-back Denvir was probably the most influential of the trio in general play – as well as doing his job defensively he chipped in with two points and proved a handful when launching attacks from deep.

Ó Curraoin didn’t have it all his own way at centre-field – Michael Ó Brien was quite impressive in this department for An Cheathrú Rua – but he was a central figure for Micheál Breathnach, particularly for kick-outs where he won a lot of frees and possession.

The decisive score, a penalty, was earned and converted by Ó Gríofa, and despite being well marshalled at times by Jeaic Ó Gaoithin and Peadar Ó Conghaile, he always posed a threat.

The penalty arrived just at the right time for Micheál Breathnach – An Cheathrú Rua had just burst into the lead with a string of points immediately after the break, and led 0-6 to 0-5.

Peadar Óg, set-up by Denvir, was then judged to have been fouled by Jeaic Ó Gaoithin eight minutes into the second half; and with precision, he coolly with the left-peg, slotted it to ‘keeper Ciarán MacDonnacha’s bottom left-hand corner.

That stifled An Cheathrú Rua’s momentum, and though they drew level again with a free from Cillín De Paor and a point from Caoimhin Ó Gionnáin, to leave it delicately poised, 1-5 to 0-8, with 15 minutes to play, Michéal Breathnach, driven on by Denvir, finished strongest.

Denvir picked-off two points in quick succession, and lively corner-forward Ronán MacDonnacha landed a brace, while substitute Liam MacDonnacha also got on the scoresheet, against just two white flags from An Cheathrú Rua, including one from De Paor and a beauty from distance by Jeaic Ó Gaoithin.

The free-scoring nature of the second half was in stark contrast to the opening half hour which was characterised by poor shooting, wastefulness, wides and missed opportunities.

An Cheathrú Rua couldn’t buy a score in that first half – they eventually got one in injury time, in the 32nd minute, from Colm De Buitléar.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.