Boston GAA

Women's Senior Football
Roscommon 2-5 Tir Na Nog 2-10

The first game of Sunday afternoon saw Roscommon take on Tir na Nog. A good, tight game was expected after the last two women's championship matches were decided by small margins.

Roscommon started the stronger, opening the scoring through Karen Maloney. Two minutes in, a high ball was lofted into the Tir na Nog area, and was pounced upon by Sharon McGovern and palmed into the net, giving Roscommon a 1-1 to 0-0 lead.

This though was as good as it would get for Roscommon as they then preceeded to go on a extraordinary thirty-nine minute long dry spell in front of goal.

In this period, Tir na Nog piled on the pressure and the scores. Maria Keane notched a couple of points and the impressive Angela Monaghan grabbed herself two good scores. The score heading into half-time read Roscommon 1-1, Tir na Nog 0-7, a three-point lead for Tir na Nog who were full value for their lead.

Just as Roscommon began to find their feet in the second half they were dealt a sucker punch. Katie Murphy struck the ball home, to give Tir na Nog a commanding six-point lead.

It only got worse for Roscommon when Coleen Jordan controlled the ball brilliantly and grabbed herself a goal to make the score 2-8 to 1-1 in favour of Tir na Nog.

But just when one might have wrote of Roscommon, in common with all ladies football matches in Boston, they began to mount a comeback.

First Saeline Reynolds grabbed Roscommon's first point since the opening minutes, and this was quickly followed by two more points and a brilliant individual goal by Fiona Claffey to bring the score back to only a four point gap, 2-8 to 2-4.

Roscommon though couldn't grab the third goal they craved and the clock ended up beating them, Colleen Barrett finishing of the game with a long range free for Tir na Nog, to give the game a final score of 2-10 to 2-5 in favour of Tir na Nog, in what was another entertaining ladies football match.

Men's Senior Football
Mayo 1-4 Donegal 0-16

Two teams in contrasting form met in the first men's senior football match of the weekend, Donegal challenging for the senior championship taking on second from bottom Mayo.

Donegal started the stronger reeling off four consectutive points by four different scorers including a great score by midfield man Ronan McNeillis.

Donegal looked to be dominating all over the field but against the run of play Mayo grabbed a point and a lucky goal through Sean Gerrity to even the game up 1-1 to 0-4.

But Donegal didn't lose their composure, keeping their passing game going and taking their chances when they arrived.

They managed to notch a further six points in a row, four of them courtesy of Kevin Curren. Their defence also stood strong and the score at half-time was 0-10 to 1-1 to Donegal, in a half where Donegal were full value for their lead.

The slim chances of Mayo mounting a second half comeback took a massive blow when Mayo frontman Brian McStay's shot from close range rebounded back of the post.

Credit to Mayo though, as two quick points by Gervase Toner brought them to within four points.

Donegal though were not fazed and continued to play their football and continued to pile on the points through influential front man Eamon Murphy.

A great score from Declan Murphy left the scoreline at 0-15 to 1-4, a eight-point lead for Donegal. Donegal were now in cruise control and Mayo's frustration at their lack of possession boiled over when Rory Gavin was sent off for two bookable offences.

Mayo added two scores to add some respectability to the score, but the final result of 0-16 to 1-4, was not flattering in the slightest to Donegal, who now look like making the Senior championships.

Men's Senior Hurling
Fr. Toms 3-14 Tipperary 3-14

The only hurling match of the weekend promised much as two evenly matched teams Toms and Tipperary met in a must win game for Toms.

Toms opened the scoring through a well placed free by Joe O'Leary but Tipp answered straight back after a long range point by Alan McGrabbe.

Toms notched two points in a row before, on the six-minute mark, Tipp frontman McGrabbe surprised the Toms' defence and rifled home a close range free to leave the score at 1-1 to 0-3 to Tipp.

At this stage of the game the heavens had opened up, and the rain was bucketing down.

The game was brought to a temporary fifteen minute delay, not due to the rain, but because of the severe thunder and lightning.

The two teams re-emerged once the storm had passed, and it was Tipp who started the better, reeling off two consectutive points after good scores by Gary Sinnott. As the game began to trade scores, the scoreline remained in Tipp's favour, with a scoreline of 1-8 to 0-6, on the twenty-minute mark.

Toms, in all truth, were not being outplayed in any sense of the word, and a brilliant piece of individual skill by Noel Kelly ended up with the sliothar finding the back of the Tipp net, after the ball slided through the Tipp goalie's legs.

As the game approached half time, both teams were desperate to end the half in the lead and after Toms man Ciaran Moore rifled the ball into back of the net, they looked full value to do so, but in virtually the last second of the half, man of the match Alan McGrabbe struck a fourth goal of the half, to leave the score at 2-9 to 2-7 in favour of Tipp, in what was a great game of hurling so far.

The second half did not disappoint, and after Toms got the opening score, the gap was down to a solitary point.

Tipp though, straight from the puc out, raced up the field and a excellent move was finished by John McGrath opening up a four-point gap in favour of Tipp.

Toms came straight back though, and a much-needed goal was seized upon by Adrian Healy and, after Donal Moore smacked the ball over the bar, it was a even game again, with a scoreline of 3-10 apiece.

Temperatures began to rise and a ten man brawl ended with four players receiving yellow cards, two from each side.

As both sides pushed for victory, points were traded at both ends of the field and with only seconds remaining Ciaran Moore looked to have given Toms victory.

Tipp though, through who else but McGrabbe, salvaged a point from a dubious free which was easily struck over the bar.

A final scoreline of 3-14 to 3-14 was a fair result in a game where both teams put on a fine exhibition of hurling.

Men's Senior Football
Kerry 0-11 Armagh ND 1-9

A huge game capped off the weekend at Canton, where two teams desperate to make the senior championships met.

Kerry and Armagh who have both been impressive to date, really needed to win to keep any hopes alive of making the senior ranks.

Armagh notched the first point of the game through Martin McStravoy, but this was quickly cancelled out by Kerry midfield man Richard O'Sullivan.

As the game reached the mid point of the first half there was still nothing between the teams, and a spectulative point from Armagh player Charlie Kielt evened the game up at three points apiece.

Missed chances and ill-discipline started to dominate the game, and booking were dished out to Barry Molloy and Ger Malloy.

Kerry held the advantage heading into half-time after a good free from Mark O'Sullivan but Armagh were given a chance to turn the game through a penalty, won by Brendan Quinn.

Martin McStravoy stood up to take it, but his feeble attempt was easily saved by Kerry goalie Damien Diggins to leave the score line at 0-6 to 0-5 in favour of the Kingdom at half time.

A slow start to the second half, brightened up when a second penalty was awarded to Armagh, and this time Brendan Quinn accepted the responsibility, and made no mistake - sending Diggins the wrong way, to give the game its only goal, and to open up a two-point lead for the Orchard county.

Kerry were playing by far the better football, but their inability to take their chances was proving to be a major hurdle, and a static frontline wasn't proving helpful either. When Armagh man James Kielt fisted the ball over the bar, it made it a five-point game, and a scoreline of 1-8 to 0-6 had Armagh in a commanding position.

Kerry though finally started to take their chances and reeled off four points in a row, three of them coming from Brendan O'Conner, to bring Kerry to within a point and, when Armagh forward Brendan Quinn was sent off for two yellows, Kerry looked like they might be in with a chance of taking the spoils.

Armagh were not to be denied though and after Barry Molloy struck home a good individual point, they managed to hold on for a one-point margin of victory, and leave the score line at 1-9 to 0-11 in favour of Armagh ND.