Connolly not sated by Connacht crown

Roscommon forward Cian Connolly says the Connacht SFC title has whetted the Rossies' appetite for more success this summer.

Kevin McStay's side secured their first Connacht title in seven years with a 2-15 to 0-12 victory over Galway on 9 July, but the Roscommon Gaels' forward says defeat in Sunday's All-Ireland quarter-final will take the edge of that victory.

On the previous four occasions Roscommon won the Nestor Cup, in 1990, 1991, 2001 and 2010, they lost their next game in the All-Ireland Championship.

"I think everyone is looking forward to an All-Ireland quarter-final, an All-Ireland semi-final, and see where we can go from there," Connolly told the Roscommon Herald.

“Definitely, nobody is happy with just a Connacht title. 

"It was one of our main goals for the year but it wasn't our ultimate goal. 

"There's a great buzz around the place, there's a great atmosphere and now we're preparing for the All-Ireland series and the national stage up in Croke Park. 

"When you're young that's what you dream of playing in."

Roscommon captain Ciaran Murtagh says the team has progressed over the last 12 months, following the 11-point defeat to Galway in the 2016 Connacht final and their subsequent 2-12 to 1-9 defeat to Tipperary in the qualifiers a week later.

Those two results prompted the resignation of Fergie O'Donnell as manager, and the retirements of goalkeeper Geoffrey Claffey, ex-captain Niall Carty, forward Senan Kilbride and Padraig Pearses clubman Niall Daly from inter-county football.

"You block out all that stuff that's going on, positives and negatives, you can’t be listening to everything that is going on," Murtagh said. 

"I've played with a lot of those lads right through from under-14 level and there's a strong bond there. 

"There's absolutely no hard feeling there. The lads text me, I meet them at club games, week in, week out. 

"Those lads had different things going on college, work and family and it was tough for them too. They were absolutely delighted for us winning Connacht. 

"It was more about the lads who were still in the group. We knew that we hadn't performed last year. 

"It wasn't good enough to be beaten in the provincial final and then to go out of the championship altogether by getting clipped by Galway, then going out of the qualifiers six days later."

Image: Inpho/Cathal Noonan

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