Tansey Cup April 19

Strokestown 0-7, Elphin 0-7.

Last Saturday evening Strokestown took on neighbours Elphin in the Tansey Cup in Farnbeg. After many cancellations the black and amber finally got to take to the field for some much needed game time.

Strokestown took to the field with a nice mix of youth and experience with wise heads such as Donal Hanly, Emmet Collins and Colin Dowd guiding up and coming players such as Rory Geoghan and Gerd Collins throughthe game.

Playing into a very strong wind in the first half Strokestown were very competitive from the off. Utilising the pace of strong runners Daniel Rogers, Niall Brogan and Enda Molloy, Strokestown managed to break inside the Elphin '45 on numerous occasions. However it was a lack of compusere inside the Elphin '45 in the first half that saw the town turn over to much pocession.

From these counter attacks Elphin managed to race into a 3 point lead. Town hit back to register their first score from a Gerd Collins effort from play and then narrowed the gap to one when Enda Molloy pointed a 14 yard free. Town could have taken the lead soon after when an elphin defender was harshly judged to have picked the ball off the ground in the small square but Molloy dragged the resultant penalty wide of the keepers right hand post. Town should have had a second penalty minutes later when a brilliant move involving Niall Brogan, Ciaran O'Reilly, Daniel Rogers, Gooch Daly ended with Paddy Gaynor being blatantly shouldered in the back when a goal seemed the only outcome. However the referee didn't give the decision and from here Elphin managed to kick on to stretch their lead to 3 points after points from Matty Hynes and Niall Travers. Elphin could have had some more scores were it not for some resolute defending from the black and amber with Cian Crosbie putting in an outstanding first half performance. Strokestown managed to pick of another score from a Molloy free to narrow the gap to 2 points at half time, 5-3, and with the benefit of the strong wind to come it looked like town were in the driving seat.

The second half began with Elphin stretching their lead to 3 points. But from here town began to pick up the pace and were really penetrating through the centre of the Elphin defence. With Seamus Collins having being relocated to the edge of the square town began to deploy the long ball into the Elphin square. This tactic bore fruit early on with scores coming off breaking ball from Seamus with Thomas Shanagher and Gerd Collins on target. However the quality of delivery into the full forward line soon slowed up and Collins was moved back out the field to help secure pocession around the middle of the field. Elphin had by this stage registered their final score to take a 7-5 lead with 10 minutes remaining. However Strokestown showed that never say die attitude and managed to come back strongly at Elphin in the final 10 minutes with Daniel Rogers and Bull O'Reilly driving Strokestown forward. In fact a rare point from Bull closed the gap to the minimum with 5 minutes to play and soon after Daniel Rogers sent over a wonderful effort from 30 yards after a barnstorming run through the middle of the Elphin defence. This left the sides tied on 7 a piece going into injury time. One sensed another score would surely proove the winner for either team. In fact both teams through everything at each other for the win. Town could have snatched it but a Molloy free 30 yards out to the left of the goals just drifted to the right and went narrowly wide. Then it looked like Elphin were going to snatch victory but the home defence stood firm and Philip Duignan in particular put in a heroic block to prevent Elphin snatching the win.

In the end a draw was probably the fairest result. Despite alot of pocession Town really lacked a killer instinct inside the Elphin 45 yard line. However considering this was the first game for the lads in over a month they put in a battling performance. This outing will no doubt do the team good and some much needed game time was got by some players. The full back line for town were outstanding all game and it was great to see Cian Crosbie back in the black and amber and putting in such an outsatnding performance. The town need players like Cian to return and help younger players coming through to help the younger players make the jump from juvenile football. In fact this is probably what cost town and manager Colm Dowd a victory today as they had no options on the bench. Elphin were capable of introducing 3/4 subs but Town had to rely on reintroducing Andrew Duignan who himself was carrying an injurry. With so many players visibly tiring in the closing stages fresh legs were needed but were not to be had. Seeing this I myself am imploring all lads who are able to tog out to come out to trianing and help the Town in the league and championship. In the year we will say goodbye to Farnbeg it would be nice to see all players making that special effort.

Team: Donal Hanly, Rory Geoghan, Emmet Collins, Cian Crosbie, Niall Brogan, Philip Duignan, Colin Dowd, Seamus Collins, Daniel Rogers, Gerd Collins, Enda Molloy, Andrew Duignan, Paul 'Gooch' Daly, Thomas Shanagher, Paddy Gaynor.

Subs: Ciaran 'Bull' O'Reilly for A. Duignan, A. Duignan for P. Gaynor

Elphin: M. Byrne, K. Beirne, K. Byrne, M. Brady, D. Neary, M. Travers, M. Kielty, N. Travers, B. Neary, M. McCaffrey, M. Callery, M. Cregg, L. Taylor, M. Hynes, P. McKeon

Subs: G. Cregg, K. Brady, G. Brady

Tansey Cup March 15th

St. Joseph's 1-8, Strokestown 2-5.

Team & Scorers; Donal Hanly, Paul McLoughlin, Ciaran O'Reilly, Colin Dowd, Daniel Rogers, Philip Duignan (0-1), Niall Brogan, Seamus Collins, Cormac Hanly, Dermot Lohan, Conor Silke (0-4), Andrew Duignan, Damian Shaughnessy (2-0), Gerard Collins, Patrick Gaynor. Subs: Paul 'Gooch' Daly, Brendan 'Pooch' Daly, Thomas Shanagher.

O'Rourke Cup March 9th

Castlerea St. Kevin's 1-08; Strokestown 0-08.

The 747 sponsored senior team began their league campaign in O'Rourke Park Castlerea on Sunday morning March 9th. In a tough game played on very boggy underfoot conditions the home side emerged victorious after the strokestown goalie (Me) gifted Castlerea a goal.

Castlerea opened the scoring in the game from a free before Strokestown replied through a John Rogers point. Castlerea added on two further scores from very soft free's before Strokestown tagged on some very good score's from play to take the lead. The town showed some great creativity to engineer scoring positions for Conor Silke, Rory O'Connor, Kenny Bosquette and John Rogers. Town could have stretched the lead even further during the half but Thomas Shanagher scuffed a shot from the edge of the square after John Rogers had pulled the ball back to him along the ground. At the half-time whistle the 'Town' led by 5 points to 3.

At the start of the second half both teams traded points with Rory O'Connor scoring a great point with the outside of his right boot. Then came the turning point of the game. Strokestown goalie, John McHugh, came to deal with a high ball landing to the left of the goals but failed to do so. In an effort to punch the ball clear the goalie only managed to clear straight to a Castlerea player who had the simple task of sending the ball into an empty net. The keeper acknowledged afterwards that he would have been better advised to catch the ball! After greatfully receiving such a gift Castlerea kicked on and added four more points in the final 15 mins. With 10 mins left in the game things turned a bit ugly. Strokestown's Niall Owens was shown a straight red by referee Seamus Regan for reacting to an elbow from Ger Heneghan. If Niall did deserve to go for his reaction then it is perplexing how Heneghan did'nt follow him after leaving Niall with a bloody mouth after swinging his elbow. Considering the Castlerea player had already been booked for something less serious it is amazing how this incident did'nt seem to warrant another yellow! Strokestown tried valiantly with 14 men to get back into the game but could only manage points from David Parker and Seamus Collins, who was making his first competitive start for the senior team. In the end the 'Town' came up short with that gifted goal being the difference between the teams in the end.

Best for Strokestown on the day were Daniel Rogers, who made some stroming runs from wing-back along the right flank, and Seamus Collins, who caught some great ball in the middle of the field on his league debut.

Team & Scorers: John McHugh, Johnny Dolan, Niall Owens, Damian Caslin, Daniel Rogers, Ciaran O'Reilly, Morgan Beirne, Seamus Collins(0-01), Derek Hagan, Niall Brogan, Rory O'Connor(0-02), John Rogers(0-02), Thomas Shanagher, Kenny Bosquette (0-01), Conor Silke (0-01).
Subs: Ronan Owens for Derek Hagan, John Hagan for Damian Caslin, David Parker (0-01) for Thomas Shanagher.

Senior Football Challenge Sat Feb 23

Strokestown 1-10, Annaduff 1-3.

The first outing of the year for 'the town' took place saturday afternoon the 23 february in Annaduf, Leitrim. In difficult conditions with a strong wind blowing cross field both teams did well to offer up an entertaining game of football.

Strokestown started the game brightly and got to grips with the conditions far quicker than the home side. Enda Molloy opened the scoring with a well taken point from 20 yards off his left foot. Soon after a great flowing move by 'the town' ended with John Rogers doing what he does best, blasting the ball to the net. Town added further points from a John Rogers free and Enda Molloy again before Annaduff registered their first and only point of the first half following a mix up in the town defence. Town ended the half with further points from Niall Brogan, Rogers, David Parker and Kenny Bosquette. The score at half time was 1-7 to 1 for the town.

The second half began with a new ref throwing in the ball. Our very own Shane Flaherty stepped into the firing line after the original ref had to leave. The second half proved to be a very free flowing game with the ref anxious to let both teams keep the ball alive by letting many heavy hits go. Town were now playing against the elements which seemed to be favouring the home side more. Town struggled to get the ball inside the Annaduff 21 yard line yet whenever they did they looked dangerous. Town registered 3 points in the second half from Rogers, Parker and Bosquette. Town could have had another goal after Thomas Shanagher failed to convert after he had gathered the ball after a David Parker thunderbolt came back off the crossbar. Shanagher was positive that his legs had been taken from underneath him by the home defence but the referee was adamant that the town corner forward slipped! Annaduff registered 2 points in reply during the half and with a couple of minutes left in the game they scored a consolation goal. Annaduff came close to another goal at the end after John McHugh saved a one on one but the rebound shot out and hit John Hagan but the corner back was alert enough to get back and clear the ball off the line.

This was a good work out for the town and gave some much needed game time to young up and coming players like Paul McLughlin, Niall Brogan and Seamus Collins. Derek Hagan made some typical sky-scraper catches in the middle of the field and looked very hungry for action. Others to play well were Morgan Beirne, Enda Molloy, John Rogers and Dessie Barry who made a brief cameo at the start of the game!

Strokestown Team: John McHugh, Paul McLoughlin, John Hagan, Dessie Barry, Daniel Rogers, Ciaran O'Reilly, Niall Brogan, Derek Hagan, Seamus Collins, Enda Molloy, Kenny Bosquette, David Parker, Thomas Shanagher, John Rogers, Damian Shaughnessy.

Subs: Morgan Beirne for Dessie Barry after 4 mins!

Hastings Cup

Roscommon 2-11 Longford 0-02

Roscommon U21's produced a marvellous display on saturday the 26th in Ballyleague to easily see off Longford. Our own John Hagan had a very solid game at corner back for the Rossies & can be very pleased with his display. Well done Johnny.
The two teams will meet again in the final after both had already qualified with victories over Westmeath & Leitrim.