O’Connell’s advance to Mullen Shield showpiece

NIALL Conlon found the net twice as O’Connell’s advanced to the Kevin Mullen Shield final with victory over Annaghminnon Rovers in Darver on Saturday afternoon.

The winners were 1-4 to noscore in front after a dominant opening where Jackie Agnew, Bernard Osborne (2) and Evan Kearney hit points either side of Conlon’s first major.

Rovers didn’t roll over, though, and Conor Russell’s 1-1 salvo kept their hopes of a rare decider appearance alive but O’Connell’s finished the half strongly with Kearney, Conlon (2) and Osborne registering.

Annaghminnon’s task was made more difficult by the dismissal of Rory Phelan in the early stages of the second period and Conlon settled the issue with another three-pointer. O’CONNELL’S: Stuart Reynolds; Sam Shearman, Conor Byrne, Jack McGeough; Emmet Byrne 0-1, Stuart Osborne, Liam Kiernan; Jackie Agnew 0-1, Cailum Woods; Harry Kierans, Andrew Sharkey 0-1, Bernard Osborne 0-3 (2f); Seán Geeney, Niall Conlon 2-3 (0-3f), Evan Kearney 0-2. Subs: TJ Conlon for Woods, Adrian McGarrity for McGeough, Tadhg Kearney for Kierans, Dalton O’Brien for Geeney, David Hoey for Agnew, Pádraig McCahey for Sharkey.

ANNAGHMINNON ROVERS: Richie Ashfield; Pádraig Russell, Niall Brennan, Chris Connolly; Paul McArdle, Colin Campbell, Pádraig Corrigan; Conor Russell 1-1, Eddie Finnegan 0-1; Tony Brennan, Dylan McArdle 0-1 (1f), Ronan Byrne; Fergal Markey, Paul Tierney, Rory Phelan. Subs: James O’Connor 0-1 for Markey, Ben Lynch 0-1 for P McArdle, Shane Grimes for Tierney, Thomas Byrne for P Russell.

REFEREE: Stephen Murphy (Naomh Máirtín).