Halftime cushion allowed St Dominic's to sit back in second half

They may have only a week to prepare for the Final but you sense that is a problem St Dominic’s manager Tomas Gilleran is more than happy to have after his team scored a comprehensive 1-12 to 0-5 victory over Aughnasheelin in Saturday’s AIB Connacht Club IFC Semi-Final.

Speaking of the opportunities they spurned in the second half, Tomas admitted that their halftime lead meant the Roscommon side could play it safe against Aughnasheelin in the second half: “We had the cushion at halftime, I don’t think we extended it but we set out to control the second half.

Aughnasheelin overwhelmed by powerful St Dominics

AUGHNASHEELIN 0-5 ST DOMINIC'S 1-12

“We felt we had a cushion and after that, it was to take our scores as they come but it was ‘take your scores without taking chances’ is the best way to go about it. We had chances but I’d say we had more wides than scores in the second half but we’ve won. 

“It was good enough today, we’re delighted today but I’d say we have to find another 15 or 20% if we want to be as happy next weekend.”

With the controversy over the postponed game the previous Sunday, Tomas refuted suggestions that his team had travelled to Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada with a “siege mentality” - “I don’t really operate on siege mentality because there is only so many times in a year you have the opportunity to do that. 

“I’ll say it now, and if we had been beaten and I said this, it would look like sour grapes but I really do feel this game should have been in the Hyde today. Look we travelled last week and normally if a game is unplayable, you lose home advantage and that is what should have happened. 

“But I didn’t latch onto this this week and the lads didn’t either, we set out at the start of the year to get to game six in Roscommon and this is something that would have been on our radar, we’re not in bonus territory - this is something we have been looking forward to. 

“It took an awful lot of time to get out of Roscommon and then last week, when the game was called off, I was like ‘what did I do wrong in a former life’ but we got there today and we’re just looking forward to the next game.”

As for the final, they meet a Dunmore McHales team they already played in a challenge game earlier in the year: “We have a couple of injuries, they are just two week strains and not to mention the war but if we had played when we should have played last week, we’d be dealing with a full deck. There are strains, knocks and niggles there, we just have to assess it and see where we are at.

Fans out in force for Aughnasheelin's Connacht Semi-Final with St Dominic's - GALLERY

Aughnasheelin's year ended with defeat in the AIB Connacht Club Intermediate FC Semi-Final on Saturday as Roscommon's St Dominic's proved far too strong as they cruised to a 1-12 to 0-5 victory in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was there to capture images of fans from both sides .... see who you can spot!

“Dunmore is an interesting one - they’re going into game three, they had a semi-final, beat Ballyhaunis, they’ve had two weeks to rest and recover and no doubt had an eye on us today. We played them earlier in the year in a challenge match and we said we’d see them again later in the year, we didn’t realise it would be a Connacht Final.

“We had 12 of what was out there today out, they had similar numbers - they gave us the run-around but that was March. The shorter break will probably favour them a wee bit but we’re in a Connacht Final. I’m just delighted, it will shorten up the winter - we’re in the championship after the Toy Show so that is always a fair measure, 

“Even for the families, the kids, the management team and people like Paudie Kearney there, I’m the manager here doing all this but it is very much a joint management team so for all of the management team, it is just brilliant.”