KELLY’S HERO
Tribe captain stands tall once again with extra-time goal key to booking final spot
BY DARRAGH SMALL MOYCULLEN manager Don Connellan lavished praise on his main man Seán Kelly after another super display.
The Galway captain continued his stunning year by leading Moycullen to their first ever Connacht SFC final after scoring the crucial goal in extra-time against Strokestown.
Ger Davoren added a second goal and the Tribesmen moved into the decider against Tourlestrane with Kelly on form.
“The amount of work that man has got through,” said Connellan. “But it’s going nonstop now, 12 months nearly with him and it’s hard on him. It’s hard going.
“That’s our fourth game in five weeks or something like that and it’s beginning to tell. That bit of fatigue was there mentally and physically.
“Seán is just constant motion. He got on the end of it (the goal) and a couple of seconds later, maybe 12, 14 seconds later he’s back at the other end of the pitch.”
Strokestown raced out of the blocks and Diarmuid Mcgann and Shane Mcginley both scored twice but the black card for Strokestown midfielder David Butler changed momentum and Moycullen capitalised with Owen Gallagher on target.
Moycullen scored six of the seven points before halftime and although Mcgann tapped over his third, further efforts from Gallagher and Conneely ensured Moycullen were 0-6 to 0-5 in front at halftime.
Moycullen shot nine wides in the second half and it
Ulster SFC semi-finals wasn’t until the 57th minute that Conneely gave them a 0-7 to 0-5 lead. Strokestown rallied and while the game went to extra-time it turned when Kelly scored the first goal.
Strokestown manager John Rogers felt there was a free in the build-up.
“Timmy Gibbons, he got a clear push in the back. They took a quick free and it’s in the back of the net,” he said.
“You’re trying to keep tabs on their best players and I thought Niall Curley made a great save but Kelly got the rebound. That’s football.”