St James’ prove too slick for sluggish Oughterard

St James’ 3-16

 Oughterard 1-14

Pádraic Ó Ciardha  at Pearse Stadium

OUGHTERARD were given another harsh lesson in what is required in Senior football as they bowed out of this year’s championship at the hands of an impressive St. James’. The reigning All-Ireland Intermediate champions were by no means poor at Pearse Stadium last Saturday but when St James’ turned the screw in the second half, Oughterard had little in response.

The sides were matched blow for blow for much of the first half. They were level, 0-8 apiece after 27 minutes but St James’ hit two goals in a four minute spell before the break to take a commanding lead. Another burst of scores early in the second half all but wrapped up the win as Oughterard failed to get any sort of momentum going.

Paul Conroy and Eoin Concannon were again in excellent form for St James’, combining for 1-9, but Pat Fallon got great displays from throughout his ranks with Aaron Connolly, Eoghan O’Regan, Lee Vahey, Owen Teagle, Kevin Hourigan and Alan Deacy among their top performers and they will now be full of confidence heading into the quarter finals.

Conditions were close to perfect and both sides offered up a cracking first half. A sweetly taken point from Eoghan O’Regan set the tone inside the opening 45 seconds and plenty of free-flowing football followed.

Enda Tierney responded for Oughterard with a trademark long-range score before a long-bursting run through the middle saw corner-back Kevin Hourigan edge St James’ back in front. Matthew Tierney got off the mark with a free in the 7th minute before Hourigan was again involved, getting the ball inside to Eoin Concannon who held up possession well before laying a pass off to Aaron Connolly to score.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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