Curry survive a tense relegation

NEXTUP

Homeland SFC Relegation Final Curry Coolaney-M’breena 2-11 1-9

A

FTER unexpected and tragic events from earlier this year, Curry GAA Club and the Curry community know – only too well – that there are things bigger than sport. But in order to make sense of things, for some sort of perspective, sport is necessary and for Curry, with the team forever missing their gem, the late Red Óg Murphy, it was important that they retained their Homeland Senior Football Championship status for another 12 months.

Boosted by their opponents’ defensive errors that led to two goals in the opening five minutes from Alan Reilly much off-field sadness CURRY: The south Sligo club, who have had to deal with so

Senior this year, will regroup for 2023, with their first XV still in the Homeland

League Football Championship and also back in the Furey’s Coaches Senior Football attacker top tier. Crucially, they could do with getting another year from experienced

Adrian Marren.

Football COOLANEY-MULLINABREENA: They’re back in the Intermediate that, Championship for the first time since 2011 and right now it is no consolation this grade with a full squad available, they would appear well-equipped to dominate the likes next year – consider how other Intermediate teams will struggle to contain of the Gorman brothers, Gavin and Barry, as well as Nathan Mullen.

and Adrian Marren, Curry just about held on for a nervy five-point win, 2-11 to 1-9, in last Sunday’s relegation decider with Coolaney-Mullinabreena. Coolaney-Mullinanbreena had their own reasons to stay up. Despite a slew of injuries – team captain Cristóir Davey and Enda Kivlehan were ruled out and Gavin Gorman

was only fit enough for a cameo off the bench – Padraig McGourty’s side almost escaped the drop as Barry Gorman, an unorthodox but effective target man, scored an excellent 1-5. This has been a year to forget for Coolaney-Mullinabreena, who’ve endured two relegations – from Division One of the Furey’s Coaches

Senior Football League and now the Homeland Senior Football Championship.

In three competitions totalling 18 games they won just three times, drew once and lost 14 times.

Still, one victory last Sunday would have saved their season. Going seven points down in the opening five minutes, 2-1 to 0-0, certainly wasn’t part of Coolaney-Mullinabreena’s plan and they never recovered from this dismal start.

After two minutes a free from Adrian Marren dropped short into the Coolaney-Mullinabreena goalmouth and during an almighty scramble Alan Reilly got the final touch to force the ball home.

Adrian Marren then scored 1-1 to give Curry a foothold in this game at Tubbercurry’s Kilcoyne Park. Marren’s goal stemmed from a defensive error. The former Sligo star dispossessed Coolaney-Mullinabreena goalkeeper Cathal Finan and then rolling the ball into the net for an easy goal.

Curry, with Eoghan Sweeney, Brian Byrne and Dylan McLoughlin busy, seemed to have taken full control.

But Coolaney-Mullinabreena suddenly woke up after 12 minutes. Niall O’Dowd, who was lively in the firsthalf, sent a searching ball into Barry Gorman, who calmly gathered and then netted with a powerful shot.

This goal immediately enhanced Coolaney-Mullinabreena, for whom David Barrett was excellent.

The first-half became an even contest and Curry were almost stunned again in the 24th minute.

Ray Connolly shot from distance started out as point attempt but then almost dropped into the net only for Curry goalkeeper Sean Marren’s flick to safety. A superb point by David