Brendan Mulry double helps Four Roads to Roscommon title

Four Roads 3-14 Pádraig Pearses 0-15

Four Roads are the kingpins of Roscommon for the 35th time after a controlled and well-executed display of intelligent hurling accounted for Pádraig Pearses in Saturday's senior county final at Athleague.

Two late goals from Roscommon county star Brendan Mulry sealed the deal for the men in black and amber, but it was their defensive strength and their controlled, careful use of the sliotar throughout the game that put them in a position to power across the finish line.

A strong wind blew down the ground throughout the game and in the early exchanges it looked like Pearses were going to take full advantage as they fired over four points without reply in the opening ten minutes.

Gradually Four Roads got to grips with the game however, with their control stemming from the half-back line, where veterans Micheál Kelly and Johnny Moran were in excellent form.

After reducing the gap to a single point, Pearses kicked on again with good points from Oisín Kelly, Daniel Glynn, Matthew Comerford and Seán Canning to lead by 0-08 to 0-04, but they failed to build on that and the game changed dramatically in the last minute of normal time when Moran and Adam Donnelly combined to set up Cathal Dolan for the game’s first goal.

0-10 to 1-06 looked like an inadequate lead given the strength of the wind, but it took time for Four Roads to really press home their advantage after the break as the first six points of the second half were equally shared between the two teams.

Defensively, they remained in complete control, but it was only from the 42nd minute, when Adam Donnelly kick-started their surge with a stunning equalising point, that they took control of the game.

Cathal Dolan fired over two majestic