Fair play to them.
Roscommon did what was expected of them in Páirc Sean Mac Diarmada on Saturday evening. Kevin McStay’s men dispatched of Leitrim with minimal fuss and with fourteen points to spare to book their place in the Connacht final for the third time in as many years.
#rosgaa #gaa
Full time
Roscommon: 0-24(24)
Leitrim : 0-10(10) pic.twitter.com/lHm8gfJiel— Roscommon GAA (@RoscommonGAA) May 26, 2018
The Rossies’ will take on the winners of next weekend’s other semi-final between Galway and Sligo which means that, barring a massive shock in Pearse Stadium, it will be a Galway Roscommon decider again.
In 2016, the neighbours and rivals couldn’t be separated first time out in Pearse Stadium before Galway outmuscled Roscommon in the MacHale Park replay.
In 2017, Roscommon gained revenge on the men in maroon. An explosive first half fired them to a convincing victory in the driving rain in Salthill.
For 2018, Roscommon are understandably angling for the final to take place in their home grounds, Dr. Hyde Park. Fair is fair. Kevin Walsh’s side have had home advantage for the last two years so it really would be only right for that to change hands this time around.
However, it has recently emerged that the Connacht council have raised concerns about the health and safety of the grounds, with rumours that the game will take place in Castlebar.
Kevin McStay stuck to his guns after the game and claimed that his side will play the Connacht final in “Dr Hyde Park and nowhere else.”
The Mayo man was emphatic in his insistence that the game will be played nowhere bar their grounds.
You can watch footage of McStay laying down the line here.
“We are in the Connacht final. We have the home venue. It’ll be played in the Hyde, I have no doubt,” he said to reporters.
“We’ll certainly be turning up in the Hyde, I hope someone else is there to meet us on the day. We’re going to the Hyde on the 17th barring of course, if Sligo bring us to Castlebar…We’ll live with that of course.”
“I expect that reason will prevail over the next 24 or 48 hours.”
Watch the @RoscommonGAA senior manager Kevin McStay be very clear on where the Connacht Final must be played. #RosGAA pic.twitter.com/gbwKSKO4MP
— Club Rossie (@clubrossie) May 26, 2018
Loads of interest in what Kevin has to say. #rosgaa #gaa pic.twitter.com/Gqj2vnp5NY
— Roscommon GAA (@RoscommonGAA) May 26, 2018
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