Moycullen 2-8

Strokestown 0-7

(After extra-time)

Pádraic Ó Ciardha at Tuam Stadium

WHAT a difference a week makes. Just seven days after hitting Westport for 3-18 in a scintillating performance that saw the whole country sit up and take notice, Moycullen stumbled their way into a Connacht final after labouring past Strokestown in last weekend’s semi-final.

A brilliant individual display from Seán Kelly, who grabbed the crucial goal at the beginning of extra-time, was eventually enough to see Moycullen over the line and while there’s no doubt that the Galway side deserved to come out on top, this performance will have to be improved upon if Moycullen’s journey is to continue past Christmas.

Don Connellan’s side went 25 minutes of the second half without a score, racking up wide after wide as they failed to make their dominance count. A free from Dessie Conneely did finally put them 0-7 to 0-5 clear heading into injury-time but Strokestown rallied well and, inspired by former Roscommon footballer Cathal Compton, forced extra-time.

Kelly’s goal, adding to a point from his brother Paul, finally put Moycullen clear and Ger Davoren added a second goal late on to ensure the shattered Moycullen players could at least trudge off at the end with smiles on their faces. Strokestown put in an impressive defensive effort throughout, getting men back to deny Moycullen space to run into but, like their opponents, they also laboured in attack, eventually being held scoreless in extra-time.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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