Roscommon and Armagh …over the decades

I don’t know how many times Roscommon and Armagh have ‘crossed paths’ over the years, but a few games stand out in the memory…spanning over 40 years!

In 1977, the counties met in a novel All-Ireland senior football semi-final at Croke Park. At one stage in that game Roscommon were in dreamland, seven points clear, a place in the final within grasp. However, Armagh staged a great comeback, the game ended in a draw, and the northern team won the replay by a point (0-15 to 0-14).

Three seasons on, Roscommon had the upperhand, defeating Armagh in the 1980 semi-final by 2-20 to 3-11

(Tony McManus and Michael Finneran scored the goals).

Roscommon won four Connacht titles in a row from 1977 to ’80, and a National League title in 1979, and the Roscommon-Armagh clashes of that golden era are fondly recalled by supporters.

Moving on over 40 years from that 1977 semi-final(s), and the counties played an absolute classic qualifier game on a scorching July day in 2018 at O’Moore Park, Portlaoise.

Roscommon won a spectacularly entertaining end-to-end game on a scoreline of 2-22 to 1-19, thus qualifying for the All-Ireland quarter-final group stages.

Here’s the Roscommon team from that memorable day: Colm Lavin; David Murray, Niall McInerney, Peter Domican; John McManus, Niall Daly, shot at players, and clearly points to an unhappy camp over recent weeks. No doubt O’Halloran feels justified in voicing his frustration; equally, the players will have their own views. In the circumstances, this parting of the ways might be the best outcome. Hopefully a fresh start can be made.

Seanie McDermott; Enda Smith, Tadhg O’Rourke; Ciarain Murtagh, Niall Kilroy, Conor Devaney; Donie Smith, Diarmuid Murtagh, Cathal Cregg. Subs used: Gary Patterson, Cathal Compton, Finbar Cregg, Conor Daly, Ian Kilbride.

This Sunday, Roscommon and Armagh meet in the Allianz National Football League Division One at Dr Hyde Park, the teams respectively proudly occupying first and second place in the table. Here’s hoping for another memorable encounter!

Roscommon GAA Hurling Board has thanked Francis O’Halloran and his management team for their work in 2022 and pre-season 2023, and wished them well in the future. The search for a new manager is now underway.