Castlerea advance in Connacht championship

Tourlestrane (Sligo) 1-6 Castlerea St Kevin's (Roscommon) 1-12

Tourlestrane (Sligo) 1-6 Castlerea St Kevin's (Roscommon) 1-12

Ger Heneghan was the scoring star for Castlerea St. Kevin's as he shot them past Sligo's Tourlestrane in this afternoon's AIB Connacht Senior Football Championship opener at Markievicz Park.

Heneghan finished with a handsome tally of 0-9 (0-6f), firing the back-to-back Roscommon champions to a long-awaited provincial win.

Denis Kearney's industrious side will face the Mayo champions in the next round on November 8.

Tourlestrane stormed out of the blocks, aided by the opening point from Gary Gaughan and a well-taken goal from Gerry McGowan.

But an ankle injury to county star Eamon O'Hara on 20 minutes really hit the hosts. Already without influential full-forward Brendan Egan, the Sligo champions were soon being overrun.

Castlerea bounced back and were level at 0-6 to 1-3 thanks to a drilled point from Heneghan.

The Dineens, Cathal and veteran captain Nigel, were causing plenty of problems and Kearney's charges dominated the midfield sector as the first half progressed.

Castlerea pressed for a goal and got it before the break, when Brian Kennedy lost possession and Heneghan played in the 35-year-old Nigel Dineen for a tapped finish to the net.

The Tourlestrane defence was struggling to cope with the amount of ball coming in on top of them and Heneghan's sixth point helped Castlerea take a 1-7 to 1-3 lead into half-time.

Whatever Tourlestrane manager Anthony Brennan said at the break worked a treat as points from John Marren, Stephen King and the busy David Durkin got them back to within one.

However, Heneghan's sharpshooting from placed balls and open play drove Castlerea on and apart from a late Stephen Henry goal attempt, they never looked in trouble and ran out deserving six-point winners.

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