Roscommon SHC Final/Athleague 2-11 Pádraig Pearses 1-10:A whirlwind finish to the first half set Athleague on their way to retaining the Roscommon title in yesterday's replay in Athleague.

Pádraig Pearses led by 0-6 to 0-5 going into first-half injury-time when a 65-metre free from Mervyn Connaughton was deflected to the net by the stick of Shane McGeeney. Athleague quickly added two more points to lead 1-7 to 0-6 at the break.

In the second half, McGeeney struck again for his second goal.

Pearses rallied, Cathal Kelly's 20-metre free finding the net.

But Athleague maintained their composure to deny Pearses for the second successive year and make club history by retaining the title for the first time in 70 years.

Their reward is that, less than 24 hours later, and because the Connacht competition is running two weeks behind schedule, they face the Sligo champions today in Athleague at 3pm.

ATHLEAGUE: D Connell; D Delaney, C Moran, P Glennon; A Cunniffe, N Connolly, T Mulligan; M Connaughton (0-7), J Connolly; I Connaughton, D McGeeney, G Fallon; S McGeeney (2-1), T Reddington (0-2), J Glennon (0-1). Subs: J Fallon for T Mulligan (53 mins) D Flaherty for J Glennon (59 mins)

PÁDRAIG PEARSES: P Dolan; D Dolan, D Loughnane, S Donoghue; A Loughnane, J Mulvey, C Sweeney; R Donoghue, J Galvin; C Kelly (1-3), M Donoghue, A Sweeney; S Sweeney (0-5), A Sweeney (0-1), T Seale. Subs: D Mulvey (0-1) for C Sweeney (38 mins), P Downey for M Donoghue (50 mins), M Mulvey for J Galvin (59 mins)

Referee: Brendan McDermott (Oran).