Colleran shines as Pearses secure Roscommon football crown
Hodson Bay Hotel Group Roscommon SFC final
Pádraig Pearses 1-11 Roscommon Gaels 1-9
Pádraig Pearses won their third Fahey Cup in the space of six years as they held off a rally from Roscommon Gaels in the Roscommon SFC final at Dr Hyde Park today (Sunday).
Since a famous win over 2023 Connacht champions St Brigid's in this year's quarter-finals, Pearses have been viewed as favourites for the Roscommon title, but they were given some nervous moments by the Gaels before they secured the silverware.
On a day when Storm Ashley sent a strong breeze across the pitch, Eoin Colleran's goal helped Pearses into a half-time lead of 1-7 to 1-1. Connellan finished the day with 1-3 to his name and he was chosen for the man of the match award.
A brilliantly taken goal by impressive teenager John McGuinness gave Roscommon Gaels hope, but the county town side was still six adrift at the interval.
The same margin separated the teams with 12 minutes to play, 1-9 to 1-3, but a string of Roscommon Gaels scores left Pearses clinging on to a one-point lead near the end.
But points from Paul Carey (his fourth pointed free) and Jack Nevin gave the Woodmount-based outfit breathing space, and all the Gaels could muster in response was a pointed free from Rory Carthy.
Frank Canning's side will meet the Galway champions in the Connacht senior championship quarter-finals on the weekend of November 9/10.
Scorers - Pádraig Pearses: E Colleran 1-3; P Carey 0-4 (4fs); N Daly, R Daly, A McGreal, J Nevin 0-1 each. Roscommon Gaels: J McGuinness 1-2; M Purcell 0-3 (2fs); R Carthy 0-2 (2fs); R Conlon, P Gillooly (f) 0-1 each.
Pádraig Pearses: Paul Whelan; Gavin Downey, Niall Carty, David Murray; Declan Kenny, Caelim Keogh, Conor Harley; Conor Ryan, Niall Daly; Conor Daly, Ronan Daly, Adam McGreal; Eoin Colleran, Paul Carey, Jack Tumulty. Subs used: Seán Canning for McGreal (44 mins), Jack Nevin for Tumulty (55), Conor Lohan for Harley (58), Mark Richardson for Downey (62), Emmett Kelly for Colleran (62).
Roscommon Gaels: James Fetherstone; Cathal Dineen, James Connolly, Eoghan Carthy; Senan Lambe, John McManus, Tim Lambe; Mark Purcell, Mark Healy; Cian Connolly, Scott Oates, Ryan Conlon; John McGuinness, Peter Gillooly, Richard Walsh. Subs used: Kieran Kilcline for Gillooly (37 mins), Conor Grogan for Dineen (42), Rory Carthy for Walsh (49), Ronan Gleeson for Oates (54).
Referee: Dermot Lyons.