COUNTY FINAL
THE meeting of first-time finalists St Molaise
Gaels and Coolera-Strandhill in the Homeland Senior Football Championship decider is scheduled for Sunday week, October 22 (throw-in 3.15pm). Castleconnor’s Barry Judge will take charge of this game.
Coolera-Strandhill, who last won the Owen B Hunt Cup in 2005 (when they defeated Curry by a point), were previously county finalists four years ago – they lost to Tourlestrane. hope in the opening 10 minutes of the second period. But Coolera-Strandhill, who outscored St Mary’s by three points in this half, 1-8 to 1-5, kicked three of their eight second-half points in a two-minute spell to go eight clear, 1-12 to 0-7, by the 50th minute.
Their 12th point was a goal chance for Barry O’Mahony, who opted to fist the ball over David Lynch’s crossbar. If there was still a potential sting in St Mary’s it was only in glimpses.
An Emlyn Mulligan free had to be turned over the crossbar by CooleraStrandhill netminder Keelan Harte, then Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch shot wide after a strong run.
Ronan Niland scampered through on goal only for Keelan Cawley to arrive and hoosh the Sligo U-20 and so another St Mary’s attack faded.
Cian Breheny scrambled the ball into the net after 55 minutes – following an Emlyn Mulligan ball into the mixer – and then Scott Lynch set up Mulligan for a good point.
It was back to a four-point game, 1-13 to 1-9, but Coolera-Strandhill, still in control, responded with 1-1 – the goal from the enterprising Mark McDaniel after blocked goalbound efforts from Leo Doherty and substitute Conor Burke.
Player of the Match: Keelan Cawley Coolera-Strandhill: Keelan Harte, Jonathan Cassidy, Sean Taylor, Luke
Bree, Aaron O’Boyle, Ross O’Carroll, Sean Murphy (0-2), Kevin Banks (0-1, 1 ‘mark’), Peter Laffey (c), Ross Doherty (0-1), Keelan Cawley (0-1), Mark McDaniel (1-0), Leo Doherty, Niall Murphy (0-7, 4f), Barry O’Mahony (1-2, 1 ‘mark’)
Subs used: Conor McDonagh, Conor Burke, Donagh Flynn, Eoin Comerford
St Mary’s: David Lynch, David Phillips, Luke Nicholson, Ronan O’Hehir, Kevin Beirne (0-1), Paul Kilcoyne (c), Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch (0-1), Michael
Munnelly, Niall Feehily, Scott Lynch,
Ronan Niland, Fintan Campbell
(0-2), Stephen Coen (0-1), Emlyn
Mulligan (0-3, 1f, 1 ‘mark’),
PaddyMaher
Subs used: Cian Breheny (1-1), Tony O’Kelly-Lynch, David McGovern, Kyle Cawley
Referee: Michael Duffy
THE FORESEEN Connacht
Gold Junior ‘A’ Football Championship final pairing – between favourites Owenmore Gaels and Ballymote – takes place this Sunday at Markievicz Park (3.30pm).
This is the second meeting of the sides, who already faced each other in the competition’s group stage.
Owenmore Gaels, who topped Group Two, defeated Ballymote by nine points, 3-18 to 2-12, when the sides met at Shamrock Gaels Park on September 2.
In the recent semi-finals, which took place on the weekend before last, Owenmore Gaels – who have four Walsh brothers in their team, Aaron, Joe, Mark and Dillon – were comfortable winners over St Molaise Gaels’ second XV but Ballymote were tested by Cloonacool. Owenmore Gaels’ Mark Walsh is a Sligo senior player and Ballymote captain Jack Lavin played for Sligo at senior level this year.
Ballymote are looking for an immediate return to Sligo GAA’s second tier having been relegated from the Connacht Gold Intermediate Football Championship last year. Meanwhile, the Connacht Gold Junior ‘B’ Football Championship decider goes ahead at Tourlestrane GAA Club pitch on Sunday when Coolaney-Mullinabreena’s second XV takes on the second XV of Drumcliffe-Rosses Point (12 noon start).