GALWAY CITY TRIBUNE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2017 SPORT 95

CONNACHT CLUB INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL SEMI-FINAL Resolute Claregalway defy daunting 24-hour schedule ■ Cummins’ second-half goal helps turn the tide

in the towel, the cham- CLAREGALWAY 1-12 pions possessed that little edge ST JOHN’S () 1-10 in class which led to match-win- ning points from the nifty Mark Rohan and the tireless Moran. JOHN McINTYRE Facing the elements in the AT MARKIEVICZ PARK opening-half, Claregalway were rocked just four minutes into EVEN up to last Friday morn- this semi-final when Abbey- ing, the Claregalway intermedi- knockmoy native and former ate footballers weren’t sure if Galway Utd player Alan Keane they would be in championship flicked the ball into the path of action at all last weekend. In the Brian McGowan and he finished end, they had to contest two big expertly past Brian Donoghue. games in the space of 24 hours The impressive David only to cope with that demand- Rooney tacked on a pointed ing schedule in magnificent free for the Sligo men who style. badly missed the influence of The first weekend of Novem- the suspended James Murphy – ber proved a momentous one a son of former long serving for the Claregalway club as not county player, Barnes Murphy – alone did they claim the county who was dismissed in their intermediate title, they are now semi-final trouncing of just 60 minutes away from Leitrim’s Aughnasheelin. provincial glory as well after Cummins eventually got surviving a real nerve-jangler at Claregalway off the mark in the Markievicz Park on Sunday. eighth minute when his effort Having overcome a gritty sec- crept over the crossbar and Claregalway's Darren Hennessy on the attack against Gary Kelly of Williamstown during Saturday's County Intermediate football ond-half fightback by they were back on level terms final at . PHOTO: JOE O'SHAUGHNESSY. Williamstown in Salthill the pre- by the 17th minute thanks to vious day, Claregalway had to two efforts from the outstand- session, Claregalway spurned a of pure defiance, heart and no McNamara, R Fahy (0-1); T Kelly (0- Stenson (half-time), K Sweeney for 2, C Greene, S Stenson; B Grennan (39) and D Smith for the celebrations and, in- ing Barry Goldrick and another number of chances, notably by little skill. McGowan (1-0), A Keane (0-3, 0-2 (52). stead, focus on treating tired white flag from Cummins. Cummins, and though Rohan Goldrick, who covered acres frees), F Grennan. Subs: D Burke for Referee L Devenney (Mayo). limbs in advance of this (two) and Goldrick did find the of ground, headed the Claregal- earnestly contested Connacht target, they were still 1-8 to 0-8 way individual roll of honour, club semi-final. behind heading into the final but they also had massive shifts After unhelpful uncertainty quarter. from Moran, who finished in a over whether or not Oileáin St John’s were doing damage blaze of glory, Rohan and Cum- Árann would prolong their ob- on the break – county player mins – both of whom continu- jections to the islanders’ semi- GOLDRICK, WHO Charlie Harrison was becoming ally showed for the ball. SPORTS STAR OF THE WEEK final conquerors Williamstown, COVERED ACRES OF increasingly influential, while Forced to field without the in- the green light was given for the David Rooney picked off a cou- jured Padraig Kearney, the win- SEAN MORAN Galway final to go ahead at the GROUND, HEADED THE ple of fine points to help keep ners also owe a debt of grati- eleventh hour. Claregalway flew CLAREGALWAY them in pole position in front of tude to Brian Loughlin, Barry THE Claregalway out of the blocks, leading by 1-9 a modest crowd. Callanan and Conor Campbell footballers had their to 0-2 at the interval, and INDIVIDUAL ROLL OF Things were starting to get a in a defence which had its trou- endurance and though Williamstown nearly HONOUR little desperate for Claregalway bles, while midfielders Darren reserves of stamina reeled them in, Paul Kilgan- until Cummins rose to the Hennessy and Eoghan Com- tested to the limit in non’s charges managed to Claregalway now had some clouds to finish that badly- mins were in and out of the a hectic weekend tough it out. momentum, but they only needed goal and they had suffi- game. schedule which saw That hard-fought win meant managed one further score – a cient resilience and quality to Ultimately, this was a red-let- them successfully Claregalway only had hours to Goldrick free – in the first half carve out the match-winning ter weekend for the Claregal- negotiate two big recover, both mentally and as St John’s regained the initia- scores despite substitute Conor way footballers – one that will matches in the space physically, for Sunday’s clash tive. Tommy Kelly’s point after Kelly picking up a second yel- be recalled in fireside chats for of 24 hours. First up, with the Sligo champions and a strong run was augmented by low card late in the game. years to come when the staying they held off a strong you could see the fatigue in further scores from Robbie However, when the teams power of a group of men some- Willimastown come- whose dynmaic run- their ranks in a game they only Fahy, Rooney (free) and Keane were level at 1-10 each, Clare- how defied a schedule which back to claim the ning and vital scores took the lead for the first time in (free), while they also had a goal galway had a lucky escape again made a nonsense of county title at Pearse helped the Galway the 53rd minute. chance only for Oisin Fox’s ef- when St John’s substitute Daniel player welfare. Stadium on Saturday club overcome a It was the polar opposite of fort to be thwarted by vigilant Smith inexplicably passed the Claregalway: B Donoghue; B before overcoming St tough schedule. how the county final evolved, corner back Brian Loughlin. ball to opposition reserve Joe Loughlin, B Callanan, M Goldrick; C John’s of Sligo in the Moran’s outstanding but Claregalway weren’t found Trailing 1-5 to 0-5 at the break Kearney when they had a real Campbell, P Divilly, S Monaghan; D provincial semi-final efforts earns him the wanting even if they were strug- and with the strength of the goal chance in the 58th minute. Hennessy, E Cummins; B Goldrick the following day. Tribune Sports Star (0-4, 0-1 free), S Moran (0-3, 0-1 gling to retrieve a three-point wind diminishing, there was no In the context alone of having free), B Callanan; M Rohan (0-3), M Claregalway had of the Week award interval deficit until county guarantee that Claregalway to unfairly line out twice in the Kelly, D Cummins (1-2). Subs: C Kelly many big individual ahead of team-mate player Danny Cummins rose would manage to turn the game space of 24 hours, Claregalway for M Kelly (42), S Cunniffe for contributions over Barry Goldrick, Con- high to superbly fist a Sean around, especially given their deserved that break and how Monaghan (45), J Kearney for M the two days, but nacht’s Tiernan Goldrick (49), C Glynn for E Moran free to the net midway exertions the previous day, and their band of supporters cele- Commins (50) and P Fahy for Divilly pride of place goes to O’Halloran and through the second-half. for the entire third quarter, the brated after Liam Devenney’s (60). attacker Sean Moran jockey Liam Gilligan. Suddenly, Claregalway had new Galway champions could final whistle blew. They had St John’s: N O’Donnell; A Clerkin, E drawn level and though a spir- make no inroads on the deficit. seen their team overcome a Roche, N Walsh; C Harrison, D ited St John’s outfit never threw Despite a lot of toil and pos- daunting challenge with a mix Rooney (0-4, 0-2 frees), O Cox; P