Athenry ... 1-19 Four Roads ... 0-9 Athenry never had to move up a gear against Roscommon champions Four Roads at Ballyforan yesterday to win another Connacht title. Athenry led 0-9 to 0-3 at the break but relied on freetaker Eugene Cloonan for all but two of those scores.
Four Roads played their best hurling during the first half but missed a number of chances and never looked like getting the goals they needed to make it a contest.
The three times All-Ireland champions had extended their lead to eight points by the time full forward Robert Kennedy opened up Four Roads second half account 10 minutes after the re-start, but the outcome was put beyond any doubt seven minutes later when David Donohue flicked the ball to the net for the game's only goal.
ATHENRY: M Crimmins; R Brady, G Keane, J Feeney; B Higgins, B Feeney, P Hardiman; MJ Quinn, B Hanley; J Rabbitte (0-1), J Conway (0-1), S Donohue (0-1); D Moran (0-5), E Cloonan (0-8, 7 from frees), D Donohue (1-2). Subs: D Carroll for Hardiman, C Cloonan (0-1) for Moran, E Caulfield for Quinn, T Kelly for J Feeney, C Moran for E Cloonan.
FOUR ROADS: A Tully; P Lohan, P Connolly, P Mannion; N Cunniffe, M Mulry, F Grehan; T Lennon (0-2), L Gately (0-1); T Kelly, D Lohan, P Glennon; J Mannion (0-1 from a free), R Kennedy (0-3), B Mannion. Subs: R Mulry (0-2) for Kelly and G Coyle for J Mannion.
Referee: J Weldon (Westmeath)
