St. Gerald's Castlebar crowned senior provincial champions

CONNAUGHT COLLEGES SFC A FINAL

 

St. Gerald’s Castlebar.... 1-13

Summerhill, Sligo ........0-10

ST. Gerald’s Castlebar were crowned Connaught senior football A champions following their deserved six-point victory over Summerhiill, Sligo, in the final played the Fr. O’Hara Memorial Park, Charlestown, today.

Although the final scoreline might suggest otherwise this was far from easy for the Castlebar school.

Indeed, it was only after Summerhill were reduced to 13 players in the 58th minute the Gerald’s pulled away by scoring four late points.

However, there was no deny Gerald’s were the deserving winners and had their converted many of their good scoring chances in the second half they would have won this decider much more easily.

Playing against the strong wind in the opening half St. Gerald’s found the going tough and for much of the opening quarter played second fiddle to their opponents.

By the end of this opening period they found themselves four points down, 0-5 to 0-1, with Gerald’s opening score coming in the 10th minute, a pointed free by Paddy Heneghan.

In the second quarter Gerald’s came a lot more into the game and after points from Tomas Waldron, and Heneghan they had reduced the deficit to just two points with 20 minutes gone.

Although a fine point from Summerhill’s chief marksman Eoghan Smith put them three in front again, they were caught badly at the back in the 34th minute when trying to clear the ball out of defence when Robbie Finnerty and Cillian Redmond put them under fierce pressure.

As a result of this pressure the ball broke to Redmond who first timed a shot to the back of the net to level matters.

Within a minute Gerald’s were in the lead for the first time after Cian Donoghue fired over a delightful point which left them in front at the interval by 1-4 to 0-6.

On the resumption St. Gerald’s quickly took control and two early pointed frees by Paddy Heneghan put them three in front.

 However, while Gerald’s converted to drive forward they failed to convert many good chances.

Although substitute Darragh Reilly did land a great point from play the Castlebar side found themselves just one in front as the game entered the final quarter after Smith kicked three points for Summerhill.

But the sending off of midfielder Oran McDonagh in the 48th minute did help the Sligo cause and once Tomas Waldron kicked two more wonderful points from play it sent Gerald’s three clear entering the final moments.

Once Summerhill had a second player sent to the line, Brian Callaghan in the 58th minute there was now only going to be one winner, St. Gerald’s.

In the closing moments they added three more points from Robbie Finnerty, Heneghan and Redmond to leave them the clear and deserving winners in what was a great all round team performance.

St. Gerald’s; J. Livingston, J. Cunningham, J. Tuohy, C. McHale, T. Waldron (0-3), O. Tunney, D. McHugh, C. Redmond (1-2), N. Carter, E. Murphy, P. Heneghan (0-5), C. Donoghue (0-1), P. Walsh, R. Finnerty (0-1), P. Beirne.

Subs used: J. Walsh, M. Fahy, D. Reilly (0-1), A. McHale, D. Swierkowski.

Summerhill: J. Teape, S. Muldowney, M. Connolly-McGowan, C. Mulligan, B. Callaghan, T. Gavin, L. Casserly (0-1), O. McDonagh, C. Kevany, P. Maher, E. Smith (0-6), F. Connolly (0-1), J. Davis (0-1), M. Walsh, J. Davitt (0-1).

Subs used: C. O’Reilly, J. Cox, C. Oates. Referee: M. Flaherty.