Loughrea 1-24

Cappataggle 0-13

By Caomhan O’Connell

Loughrea set down a marker to the championship with a comprehensive win over Cappataggle in Kenny Park on Saturday afternoon. Despite difficult conditions, they scored heavily and impressively with and without the wind.

Loughrea started as they meant to continue with Joe Mooney firing over instinctively inside 20 seconds. They had the strong breeze and made the most of this by using the long ball effectively in the opening exchanges.

Cappataggle were combative in the early going and relied on a shorter game demanded by the elements. They would have been reasonably content with their first quarter. However, some indiscipline was heavily punished by Neil Keary and Jamie Ryan, who were outstanding from placed balls.

Keary shot over five frees and this helped stretch out a lead for Loughrea as the half went on. Ryan landed two monster frees from inside his own half to give his side a cushion that one expected the strength of the wind would require.

However, the real story of the first-half was the shooting exploits of Mooney and Ryan from play. Both landed three super scores apiece from play in the first 30, and each was as impressive as the last. The ruthlessness from frees and class from out the field meant Loughrea enjoyed a real purple patch.

In total they reeled off seven unanswered points in as many minutes towards the end of the half. Even with the wind advantage to look forward to, this gave Cappataggle a mountain to climb in the second.

Pictured: Jamie Ryan hit seven points for Loughrea.