Breathnach's make the most of positive start to take spoils

Micheal- Breathnach 1-11Kilkerrin- Clonberne 0-10

Cian O’Connell at Pearse Stadium

A purposeful first half performance ensured Micheal-Breathnach eked out a fully deserved Pearse Stadium victory over Kilkerrin-Clonberne in the senior football championship on Sunday.

The past couple of decades has seen Micheal-Breathnach establish a sound underage set up and now their flagship team is laced with capable young footballers. Traditionally Breathnach's have been renowned for their passion, but the current crop have a bit of poise about them too, and the Connemara side embraced this tricky task against Kilkerrin-Clonberne.

It was a triumph achieved by virtue of a high work ethic which ultimately denied a Kilkerrin-Clonberne team that completely over relied on smashing teenager Shane Walsh for scores.

St Jarlath's College triumph in the Connacht Colleges earlier in the spring owed much to two remarkable Walsh displays and the youngster was excellent again for Kilkerrin-Clonberne, but lacked support in attack.

Walsh ended the hour with eight points, including five from play, but Breathnach's were the more rounded outfit and by the end were even able to give Fiontan O Curraoin a valuable 10 minute stint to mark a return to action following an ankle operation. That decorated Breathnach's success, but the damage was done early as Kilkerrin-Clonberne couldn't contain Sean O Domhnaill's charges.

Breathnach's bossed the game initially with Colm O Cuiv and Padraig Mac Giolla Bhríde dovetailing well at centrefield. Their influence allowed Breathnach's accumulate a four point advantage by the 29th minute as Sean Denvir and Seosamh O Conaire were effective in a lively forward unit.

The decisive passage occurred then before the interval as Walsh was thwarted a goal by a smart reflex Eoin O Coisdeabhla save and Breathnach's then moved the ball quickly downfield. A Denvir pass eventually released Peadar O Cionnaith, who netted a splendid goal which ensured Breathnach's half-time lead was 1-6 to 0-2.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.