The story so far for St Attracta’s
CONNACHT QUARTER-FINAL: St. Attracta’s 5-8; Ballyhaunis 1-3
St. Attracta’s stamped their authority on the game early on, racing into a 2-4 to 1-2 lead by half-time, with Jason Perry and Michael Gordon getting the goals. Cian Gilmartin added a third goal within minutes of the restart and it was all one-way traffic from there to the finish with Perry and Gilmartin adding further goals. ST. ATTRACTA’S: E McDonagh, P Gorman, B Walsh, M Gordon, S Barrett, J Carr, N Murphy, C Henry, J Brennan, J Durkin, S Connolly, K Gavigan, J Perry, C Gilmartin, C McIntyre. Subs: P MItchell, D Coleman, N Brennan, S O’Donnell, P Killian CONNACHT SEMI-FINAL St. Attracta’s 3-15; St. Joseph’s Galway 1-5 Two early goals by Niall Murphy and Kenneth Gavigan paved the way for St. Attracta’s as they overwhelmed St. Joseph’s with a powerful display.
The South Slig boys led 2-6 to 1-3 at half time and a succession of well-taken points early in the second half ended the game as a contest.
Gavigan put the icing on the cake with a delightful third goal for St. Attracta’s near the end. ST. ATTRACTA’S: E McDonagh, P Gorman, B Walsh, M Gordon, S Barrett, J Carr, N Murphy, J Brennan, C Henry, P MItchell, S Connolly, K Gavigan, J Perry, C Gilmartin, C McIntyre. Subs: D Coleman, J P Lang, N Brennan, S O’Donnell, J Durkin CONNACHT FINAL: St. Attracta’s 3-9; St. Aloysius, Athlone 1-14
It was a close-run thing in the end but there was no disputing the merit of St. Attracta’s in this pulsating semi-final clash at Castlerea.
First half goals by Jason Perry and Kenneth Gavigan helped the Sligo team to establish a ten point lead at one stage but St. Aloysius came storming back in a dramatic second half.
A second goal by Perry gave St. Attracta’s the breathing space they needed but a late Athlone goal meant there was only one point in it at the finish. It all meant that St. Attracta’s were crowned Connacht champions for the second year in a row ST. ATTRACTA’S: E McDonagh, P Gorman, B Walsh, M Gordon, S Barrett, J Carr, N Murphy, J Brennan, C Henry, S Connolly, P Mitchell, K Gavigan, J Perry, C Gilmartin, C McIntyre. Subs: J Durkin, D Coleman, S O’Donnell, D Kilcoyne, N Brennan.