Roscommon’s

Now Burke welcomes break ahead of visit of Orchard County

Allianz National Football League Division

One

Roscommon 0-9 Galway 0-8

< SEAMUS DUKE

Roscommon manager

Davy Burke says his hardworking panel of players will relish the break ahead of their next league encounter which will see the surprise Division One table-toppers face secondplaced Armagh at Hyde Park on Sunday week. A point from sub Richard Hughes in the 6th minute of injury-time saw Roscommon edge out Galway in a dramatic finish in Salthill last Sunday.

It means Roscommon top Division One with wins from their opening two games.

This was no classic – it was actually a poor game – but manager Burke was an extremely happy man after his charges battled back from four points behind to secure a great win.

Speaking to the Roscommon People at the final whistle, he said: “You have to find a way to win any way you can. It’s not always going to be pretty. Division One football has gone a bit like that at the minute. It’s a tactical affair. The subs made a big difference and we got two points away on the road. You’d take it, wouldn’t you?”

Take it we most certainly will. While experienced guys like Niall Daly, Brian Stack and Diarmuid Murtagh were excellent on Sunday, substitutes had a major impact –as against Tyrone the previous weekend – as Roscommon kicked five points without reply in the final quarter to beat the Tribesmen to two precious league points. It’s a win which greatly boosts Roscommon’s Division One survival prospects.

Burke acknowledged the role of the bench, and also the challenge of trying to keep so many eager players happy!

“The game is over 80 minutes now (allowing for stoppages). Every week we go out, we’re going to have firepower behind us. There are a lot of sad faces every Friday night when I name the team. That’s the reality”.

The manager welcomed the fact that there is no game this weekend. “We’re in a good position. You would have taken this before the start of the league. Thanks be to God we have a two-week break, because lads need a rest. They’ve worked hard for the last four or five weeks on the bounce. We’ll get that rest and go

The first half last Sunday was a hard watch as both teams concentrated on holding on to the ball, with much of the play going laterally and backwards. Galway lost talisman Damien Comer in the 6th minute when he fell awkwardly when contesting a high ball with Conor Carroll. Comer