Goals pave way for Scoil Mhuire in win over St Louis Kiltimagh

GAA - CONNACHT PPS B FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Scoil Mhuire, Strokestown 3-15

St Louis Community School, Kiltimagh 0-8

In Gilmartin Park

On a day where heavy pitches and low-hanging clouds were the order of the day, Scoil Mhuire Strokestown stood tall to deliver an accomplished performance and dispatch the home side St Louis Community School.

The hosts were living a charmed life at times in the first half, but their defence eventually was their undoing as a hard-earned lead was built on ruthlessly by the travelling team, who put out a statement of intent to all comers.

Scoil Mhuire were the first to raise a flag, with Jayden Jennings bisecting the uprights after three minutes.

Cillian McGowan extended the lead, but a fine Conor Hession two-pointer off the turf had things level.

Jennings and Conor Beatle singles re-established that two-point ascendancy in minute 17, but Hession shrugged off any tackles to find the posts, before the county minor star curled over an audacious outside-of-the-boot effort to raise an orange flag and have his side ahead for the first time.

However, the hosts in Gilmartin Park were living a charmed life, as a trio of goal chances went a-begging for the Strokestown school.

First, Patrick Grehans's effort rolled agonisingly wide, while a top save from James McLouglin denied a rasping Conor Beatle missile.

The pick of those missed chances came after 15 minutes, when Tynan Hussey was clean through and bizarrely went for the chip, which was easily repelled by the St Louis net-minder.

McLoughlin was beaten in the 23rd minute. A beautiful three-pass move direct from a kick-out saw Grehan clean through, and he slammed into the onion bag.

Jennings, McGowan, and Tadgh Morris clipped over singles to widen the gap, before live-wire half-back McGowan fed Beatle.

Beatle’s looping finish was excellent, taking the ‘keeper out of the equation and widening the half-time gap to eight.

Nippy St Louis inside-forward Simon Byrne tried to lift the intensity for the home side, but they were taking on water, and only scored one for the rest of the day.

However, there was a glimmer of hope as Tadgh Morris’ ball across the face of goal came tantalisingly close to being palmed in by Byrne, but it was just too high, and he could barely get his fingertips to it.

Scoil Mhuire, though, kept on motoring. A pair of Patrick Martin efforts, including one where he raced in along the end-line, had them grooving, while Tynan Hussey’s 47th-minute three-pointer hammered home the advantage.

By the end, the gap stood at 16. St Louis stood defeated, while Scoil Mhuire head into their clash with Clonfert College with top spot in Group Three on the line.

A full report will be carried in Tuesday's edition of The Mayo News