Smith hails system

Enda Smith spoke to the Roscommon People after the game while holding the man of the match trophy which he had just been presented with.

“I know that it wasn’t pretty at times out there but we stuck to our system and were disciplined. We knew if we did that we would be right in the game and that’s the way it panned out”.

Needless to say he considered the timely Roscommon goals to have been crucial.

“We hadn’t been creating too many goal chances but we got two today and those were absolutely vital. Our defensive display was awesome today. Brian Stack, Davy Murray and the lads were just tremendous – but everyone played their part”. picked up the loose ball but was upended in the large square. Enda Smith blasted the resultant penalty to the Mayo net. Now Roscommon led by 1-2 to 0-1. Mayo replied with three unanswered points, but just before half-time Roscommon struck again. Niall Daly sent Ciaran Lennon away and when his shot rebounded to Donie Smith, the Boyle man pulled low and hard to the net. At half-time Roscommon led by four, 2-2 to 0-4.

Enda is now looking forward to the clash with Galway. “It’s another huge game but we are going to enjoy this first and we will get ready for that later on in the week” he said on Sunday.

The second half was a fierce battle. Mayo upped the ante, but Roscommon were ready. While it certainly wasn’t a great game in terms of quality football, the exchanges were fiercely contested. Three Mayo scores in a row saw the margin down to a single point by the 50th minute, but Roscommon dug in.

Diarmuid Murtagh kicked three points – which included two magnificent efforts from play –as the defiant Rossies pulled away again. Sub Conor Cox and man of the match Enda Smith (with a fisted effort) closed out the win. And what a win it was.

In terms of the forthcoming All-Ireland football championship, this result may soon be forgotten by the rest of the country, but any Roscommon person who was there on Sunday (and those watching on TV or listening on radio too) will remember it for a long, long time to come.

Another massive game against Galway awaits on Sunday week in Dr Hyde Park. In the form they’re in, the Roscommon players will relish that challenge.

Davy Burke certainly enjoyed the intensity of the exchanges.

“It was a brilliant, hugely intense game of football. Unbelievable. Fair play to the lads. The first time I met them, they said ‘Easter Sunday, we’ll be ready’. They were ready”.

And Galway in two weeks’ time? “A home semi-final. It’s brilliant. Where else would you want to be? And another 50/50 game against Galway. Happy days” the manager concluded. Happy days indeed.