Newly-crowned Galway junior champions Valeo are just 60 minutes from Connacht glory after an emphatic 1-15 to 0-1 victory over Erricson in the Connacht semi-final.
Valeo were on top all over the field, and try as they might the Roscommon team was no match for a Valeo side that will take some beating in this grade.
Played in the Connacht Centre of Excellence during the week, Valeo laid down the marker with two early points from Aonghus Tierney and John Cleary, followed by a Derek Savage goal after good work from Martin Newell.
The Roscommon men were in trouble at this early stage with Valeo’s greater teamwork the key to this success. After a fine move involving Paul Varley and Aonghus Tierney, Michael Newell slotted over another point to leave the Galway men six clear after eight minutes.
Erricson did have some chances to close the gap, but wayward shooting contributed to their downfall.
With Tierney and Newell dominating the midfield exchanges, the lively Valeo forward line was always creating scoring opportunities, with the hard-working Savage and Martin Newell involved in most scores.
A converted free from Savage and an effort from Martin Newell had the winners eight clear at the end of the opening quarter, and there was no way back for Erriccson as Valeo continued to dominate the second quarter.
Erricson did try hard to get back into the match, but they came up against a solid Valeo rearguard led by Derek O’Dea and Liam Garvey.
Before the break points from the Newells, Savage, Mark McDonagh and Paul Varley had stretched the lead to 1-10 to no score.
Barry Dever and Matthew Towey had knocked over points before Erricson finally broke their duck when the hard-working Paul McGee pointed for a spirited Erricson side.
Valeo finished out the contest with points from Aonghus Tierney, Derek Savage, Darren Durkan and Paul Varley to head into the Connacht final where they will meet the Mayo champions or Leitrim’s Vistamid.
Valeo: D Steede, S Cunningham, D O’Dea, P McVeigh, D Reilly, L Garvey, P Rowsome, Michael Newell (0-2 ), A Tierney (0-1 ), D Savage (1-3 ), P Varley (0-2 ), Martin Newell (0-2 ), B Dever (0-1 ), M McDonagh (0-1 ), J Cleary (0-1 ). Subs, M Towey(0-1 ), D Durkan(0-1 ), C Reilly, G Flynn, J Lynch, B Cawley.
