Salthill Devon played match 1 of a frantic 6 days during which they will play 4 times. This premier cup game had that peculiar end of season feel to it with the pace of the game not at the level it should be, on what was a perfect evening for playing football.

Drom was in impeccable condition with only a slight breeze which made football conditions ideal.

Devon juggled the squad around for this fixture which saw the return of Aaron Kane to centre half, Colin Hanbury came in at left full, Nial Murray started in the middle of the park and Eric Ohlstrom came in on the left side. Devon went with the same formation that was kind to them in the Connaught Final last Sunday with a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Shane Garvey came into the middle of the park with Alex Byrne reverting to centre half, Sean Lally continued at right full with Dillon Murphy ahead of him on the right side, Conor Shaughs continued in the advanced midfield role with Eoghan Stenson just ahead of him, Aaron Murtagh was absent due to illness, Ben Murphy injured and Joe Gaughan still away on international duty!

Devon started well and Niall Murray immediately began to exert his influence on proceedings, he kept things simple but more often than not he found the right composure with the right pass. Conor Shaughnessy to his credit was getting on the ball more and more as Devon intended to maximise his vision when in possession of the ball, he was involved in all things positive from the outset as he picked out Dillon Murphy wide right who was causing major threats accompanied by Sean Lally.

Devon dominated but one felt watching from afar that they could step it up a level if need be and whilst Barna were set up in a 4-5-1 formation, their striker, Jason Lyons was a threat with his prowess. Conor Shaughnessy was delivering good balls from corner kicks and the opening goal came from one with the ball being half cleared and Niall Murray gaining possession and he played a one two with Stenson whose first touch was telling in setting up the shot and Niall Murray passed the ball with ferocious power as it went up and into the net to make it 1-0. Niall Murray was quoted as saying that was his first goal in a couple of years and perhaps it will be the first of many in the closing weeks of the season. No pressure Niall.

Devon made it 2-0 shortly afterwards, again from a set piece where Eoghan Stenson came in at the back stick to hold possession and Shane Garvey came outside him and along the end line in a carbon copy of the goal that Nigerian legend scored for Arsenal a few years ago when he completed a rare hat trick, he beat a couple of players on the end line and managed to curl the ball into the far corner of the net from what seemed an impossible angle. As the advertisers for a certain sports brand quite rightly point out, ‘impossible is nothing’..

2-0 at the break, Shane Connaughton replaced Eric Ohlstrom on the left side while Garbhann Malone replaced Sean Lally and Diarmuid Fadden replaced Colin Hanbury. Devon played some neat football in the second half but never really upped their performance. Midway through the second half when the game should have been wrapped up, Jason Lyons got onto a long ball which Devon allowed to bounce and he expertly nodded the ball over the on rushing Chris Healy in goal, a good finish but horrendous defending. Indeed, he had 2 golden opportunities to level matters in the dying minutes albeit from dubious off side positions but his finishing let him down on these occasions. Devon were the superior team but this should serve as a wake up call for them. Craughwell await them in the next round of the Premier Cup. Back to domestic matters this Saturday when Devon entertains Cregmore/Claregalway in the league at 2pm in Drom.