Inside Track with John McIntyre

You can’t beat experience in a County Final. Playing in the showcase event of Galway club football for the fifth time in six years at Pearse Stadium on Saturday night, Maigh Cuilinn held their nerve down the home stretch to honour their late team manager Don Connellan in the best way possible.

In claiming the club’s third county title, Cathal Clancy’s charges endorsed their reputation for consistency over recent campaigns, with Galway captain Seán Kelly producing a man of the display against a Salthill-Knocknacarra team which appeared to be coming with a winning push in the final quarter.

Having trailed by 1-11 to 1-6 at the break, they had edged in front with a Robert Waltzer point in the 49th minute. With the wind and momentum behind them, this was Salthill’s moment, and they would probably have gone on to claim the Frank Fox Cup for the first time since 2012 if Michael Kitt’s goal chance hadn’t been denied by the woodwork.

The margins were that fine, but it was Maigh Cuilinn who were the more assured and authoritative outfit over the closing minutes when they outscored Salthill by four points to one. Dessie Conneely sent over his first score from play before superbly nailing a two-point long range free from off the ground.

With time running out, those scores left Maigh Cuillinn ahead by 1-16 to 1-15 ahead before, fittingly, Kelly fired over a terrific point in the 64th minute. It left Salthill needing a two-point score to salvage a draw but two placed ball efforts from Tomo Culhane, who endured one of those what might have been evenings, didn’t threaten the target.

The vanquished must be sickened to have come up short again – they also lost the 2022 final to Maigh Cuilinn – especially after dumping champions Corofin out in the semi-final. Unfortunately, that win came at a price with county midfielder John Maher suffering a fractured bone in his ankle.

An All-Star in 2024, Maher was an incalculable loss to Salthill-Knocknacarra and it’s reasonable to argue his absence was the difference between victory and defeat. Unlike their success over Corofin when bolting out of the traps and serving up a sensational half of football, it was Salthill’s turn to be rattled from the off.

Pictured: Maigh Cuilinn’s Sean O’Connor breaking upfield against Daniel O’Flaherty of Salthill- Knocknacarra during Saturday’s Galway Senior Football Final at Pearse Stadium. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.