GAA Round-Up: Club Championship Finals Take Shape Across Galway
By Sean Carley
For the second year in a row, Maigh Cuilinn will face Salthill Knocknacarra in the Galway Senior Football Championship (SFC) final following last weekend’s semi-finals.
The defending champions Maigh Cuilinn swept past Annaghdown in the first game of the double-header at Pearse Stadium on Sunday, 11 October.
Cathal Clancy’s side led 3-8 to 0-6 at half time, thanks to a Dessie Conneely brace and a Niall Walsh strike just before the break. Maigh Cuilinn never looked back, adding a further 1-18 in the second half to win 4-26 at full time.
The second semi-final, between Salthill Knocknacarra and Corofin, proved to be a much closer contest. Corofin mounted a dramatic comeback but missed the chance to force the game to extra time after Kieran Molloy’s two-point effort at the death drifted wide.
Salthill Knocknacarra dominated early proceedings and led 0-9 to 0-4 as half time approached, but a goal from Shane Canavan and a point from Micheál Lundy left only a point between the sides at the interval.
With Robert Finnerty adding to his personal tally of nine points by the end of the contest, Salthill Knocknacarra had built up a three-point lead with 11 minutes to play, but the North Galway side were far from finished.
A Jason Leonard rocket to the top corner equalised the contest on 51 minutes and the momentum seemed to swing towards Gary Delaney’s side. However, last year’s beaten finalists showed their experience in the end as a brace from Finnerty clinched a 0-15 to 2-7 victory for Salthill Knocknacarra
Maigh Cuilinn and Salthill Knocknacarra are set to battle it out for the Frank Fox Cup in the Galway SFC final at Pearse Stadium on Saturday, 24 October at 7pm
Intermediate Football Championship
Menlough’s outstanding run to the semi-finals could not go a step further as An Spidéal booked their place in the Galway Intermediate Football Championship (IFC) final with a comfortable 2-15 to 0-11 victory. After losing last year’s final to Caltra, An Spidéal will now have another chance to claim the title.
They will face Caherlistrane in the showpiece game as the side came out triumphant in a pulsating match against Oranmore-Maree in Tuam Stadium, running out 1-12 to 2-8 winners to see them through to their first final since 2005.
An Spidéal will meet Caherlistrane in the Galway IFC final at Pearse Stadium on Sunday, 25 October at 3pm.
Primary Junior Football Championship
Headford maintained their 100% record in the Primary Junior Football Championship with an emphatic 2-19 to 1-6 victory against Athenry in the North Board final.
They will face the West Board champions Fr Griffin’s Éire Óg, who came out the right side of a gruelling contest with group winners Clonbur at Pearse Stadium on Saturday, 10 October.
Despite trailing 0-6 to 0-1 at the break, a gallant Fr. Griffin’s side fought back to level the game before Phillip Lennon scored the winner in injury time. A poor kick-out fell to Lennon, who slotted the final point in a 0-11 to 0-10 victory.
Headford will face Fr. Griffin’s Éire Óg in the Primary Junior Football Championship final at Pearse Stadium on Saturday, 24 October at 5pm.
Junior A County final
But the drama of the weekend lay in the Junior A County final, where Glinsk and Na Piarsaigh couldn’t be separated in normal time at Pearse Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Glinsk’s dream of a return to Primary Junior football in 2027 seemed to be fading away, but a late free from Morgan Neary forced the game to extra time at 0-13 to 1-10.
Glinsk carried this momentum into extra time and edged a nail-biter on a final score of 0-18 to 1-14, marking a day that will live long in the club’s memory.
