Mayo champions march into Connacht Intermediate Football final

Mayo champions Kilmeena marched into the AIB Connacht GAA Intermediate Football Championship final with a 0-22 to 1-9 victory over Sligo's Coolaney/Mullinabreena in the semi-final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar, writes Brian Gillespie.

The opening exchanges were even enough but Kilmeena took control towards the end of the first quarter and never looked back.

Coolaney/Mullinabreena were level at 0-3 each by the 12th minute but only added one more to their tally during the remainder of the half while Kilmeena, by contrast, scored nine more points.

The west Mayo men went close to finding the net too as Ronan O'Donnell struck an upright and Liam Moore saw his follow-up saved.

That preceded a Nially Connolly point for Coolaney/Mullinabreena that made it three points each, but then Kilmeena scored eight without reply, with Moore, Colin Hastings, Darragh Slattery, Jack Carney and John McGlynn all picking off some nice scores, captain Stephen Staunton opening the scoring on a day when nearly everything went right.

Coolaney/Mullinabreena's only response from there until half-came from Eoin Barrett after he was set up by his brother David, but Kilmeena still had the final say as McGlynn, the captain, split the posts in the final minute.

A feature of the first half was Kilmeena's ability to dominate midfield, a number of points coming after they won primary possession around the centre of the field and broke quickly towards the opponents' goal. It was impressive stuff.

A point for Barry Gorman in the first minute of the second half for the Sligo champs suggested a bit of fight would be put it, but it was quickly cancelled out at the other end by Slattery and Keaveney, Kilmeena getting back into the groove quickly.

The Mayo men were able to pick off scores nearly at will, with substitutes Daniel Kelly and Brian Durkan getting in on the act after they were introduced to the fray, and Kilmeena went on to establish a 14-point lead (0-22 to 0-8) with the game petering out, a highlight being a wonderful two-point effort from the excellent Jack Mulchrone.

A late point followed by a goal from Coolaney/Mullinabreena's Criostoir Davey put some more respectability on the scoreboard in the end, but Kilmeena were full value for the victory.

Kilmeena will now face Roscommon's Strokestown in the final next Sunday (November 23; full details to be confirmed).

Kilmeena: P. Groden; L. Durkan, C. Kilcoyne, J. Ryan; C. Hastings (0-0-1), S. Staunton (0-0-1), J. Mulchrone (0-1-0); J. Carney (0-0-1), K. Ryder; C. O'Malley, D. Slattery (0-0-2), R. O'Donnell; D. Keaveney (0-0-5, 1f), J. McGlynn (0-0-4, 2f), L. Moore (0-4).

Subs used: D. Kelly (0-1), B. Durkan (0-1), J. Brown, C. Kelly, A. Murray

Coolaney/Mullinabreena: E. McDonagh; E. Scanlon, G. Feely, B. Marren; D. Barrett (0-0-1), C. Johnson, K. O'Kennedy; B. Gorman (0-0-2, 1f), D. McCormack; E. Barrett (0-0-1), G. Gorman (0-0-2, 1f), N. Connolly (0-0-1); C. Gorman (0-0-1f), C. Davey (1-0-1), E. Kivlehan.

Subs used: N. Mullen, R. Connolly, S. Gorman, K. Golden, C. Finan.

Referee: J. Donoghue (Roscommon).

*See Tuesday's print edition for a full report and reaction