By DARREN KELLY

FOR the first time in nearly three years, Maigh Cuilinn’s football journey takes them outside county boundaries on Sunday when they travel to face Sligo’s Shamrock Gaels in the Connacht senior football quarter-final (Kilcoyne Park, Tubbercurry, 1.30pm).

The last time the green and white faced non-Galway opposition was in January 2023 when Derry’s Glen edged them 1-11 to 0-12 in Croke Park in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Before that, they played Sligo opposition in the Connacht decider beating Tourlestrane (0-13 to 0-6) to take provincial honours. And with reigning champions Coolera-Strandhill already beaten by Sunday’s opponents, Maigh Cuilinn enter this campaign as 11/10 provincial favourites.

Following two consecutive final losses to Corofin, Maigh Cuilinn finally returned to the summit of Galway football two weeks ago, beating Salthill-Knocknacarra (1-17 to 1-15) under the lights at Pearse Stadium.

Sean Kelly’s goal was the highlight in a man of the match display but they had key contributors across all lines to secure a third Frank Fox Cup since 2020.

“We know how hard they’re won,” said Maigh Cuilinn manager Cathal Clancy during the week. “We’ve been on the wrong side of it over the last couple of years.

“To get to that finish line in the Galway championship and come out as victors is a huge, huge thing for us. The relief is a big one and now you get over one thing and you start looking towards the next.

“Look at the results between the (top) four teams over the last few years, against each other. In our case, we’ve had one or two point victories over the likes of Tuam (Stars) and Salthill (Knocknacarra).

Maigh Cuilinn’s victory was also emotional following the shock passing of Clancy’s predecessor Don Connellan back in August. The Roscommon man led the club to their previous two county titles in 2020 and 2022 and that Connacht success three years ago.

“It left a huge imprint on our team,” added the current hold of the bainisteoir’s bib. “Don’s passing happened just after the start of the championship. Everyone in our group had massive ties to Don. Everyone knew him and loved him.”

If this provincial sojourn is to bring another trophy, they first must get through a Shamrock Gaels team that have been threatening to make waves in Sligo football. Shane King’s team won two league titles in the last three years, but this was their first senior championship since 1992.

Considered dark horses when they commenced on August Bank Holiday weekend, eyes were turned with a one-point win over Coolera-Strandhill (0-17 to 1-13). That was the first of three unbeaten battles with the three-in-a-row chasing domestic champions.

The east Sligo team topped their group with further victories over Easkey (4-24 to 0-16), Curry (4-21 to 3-15) and Eastern Harps (0-15 to 0-9).  In the semi-final, they accounted for St. Mary’s (2-15 to 1-14).

Coolera-Strandhill were waiting again the decider but the mid-October meeting finished deadlocked at 2-16 to 3-13. Shamrock Gaels made sure a similar tight affair wasn’t on offer the second day.

Two weeks ago, Sligo senior Shane Deignan struck 2-3 for an emphatic 2-11 to 0-8 win in Quigabar. It highlighted how the Riverstown-Castlebaldwin team’s 14/1 ranking for Connacht glory should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Ten players have started all seven championship games including Sligo goalkeeper Daniel Lyons. Evan Lyons and Ciaran Kenny (a brother of Glasgow Celtic’s Johnny) are the central defenders flanked by Oisin Conlon, Daniel King and Karl McKenna.

Conor Sheridan and Dillon McDermott are a solid midfield duo. And the attack is led by another county stalwart David Quinn (2-55), followed by Shane (5-19) and Lee Deignan (0-22), James Foley and George Barlow.

Johnny Quinn, Sean Carroll, Patrick and Niall Kenny are other possible starters while Luke Flynn (1-4) is their main threat from the bench.

Evan Lyons, McKenna, Quinn, Shane Deignan and McDermott were part of the 2018 Sligo intermediate winning side that went down to Fuerty in the Connacht championship.

“It’s easy see they’ve (Sligo) a really good standard of club football going on up there,” said Clancy. “For us, we were in the Connacht campaign in 2022  It was a brilliant experience for us, not alone in terms of winning it. Just the novelty of getting outside the county and playing other teams.”

Maigh Cuilinn came through six Galway games without defeat to take their third title in six years. Pierce Greally made an impact in goal with Eoghan and Sean Kelly having Aidan Claffey, Mike Moughan, Sean O’Connor and captain David Wynne outside them in defence.

Ger Davoren, Paul Kelly and Tom Clarke have rotated in midfield, while Dessie Conneely (2-37) leads an attack including Niall Walsh (1-18), Fiachra McDonagh (3-7) and Johnny Moloney (0-12). Fionn McDonagh started the last day but speculation will surround Peter Cooke and James McLoughlin.

“Peter (Cooke) is a busy man,” added the Maigh Cuilinn manager. “He works outside the country and we’re always looking to get him back for the big games. At times it works out. Other times, it doesn’t.

“But the one thing for Peter is he will always do his best for the club when he can. That’s as much as we can ask for him.

“In terms of James (McLoughlin), he was just very unlucky. He’s had a couple of unlucky years with injuries. He got an injury in a warm up for the first league game of the year for Galway  It was a hamstring injury, a serious enough one, that had a recurrence of during the summer.”

Cooke struck two crucial two-pointers against Salthill-Knocknacarra, while McLoughlin made a long awaited return. Eoin McGuire, Mark Bradley and Charlie Cox are other contenders while Neil Mulcahy, Padraic Faherty and Cillian Gallagher are dangerous from the bench.

Holding out Quinn and the two Deignans is the main target for Maigh Cuilinn with the defensive Kelly brothers likely to be detailed there. Wynne might move into the centre to free up Sean Kelly.

Winning midfield appears to be Shamrock Gaels’ best bet for victory while behind that, Ciarán Kenny versus Walsh could be decisive.

Maigh Cuilinn are away and anything taken back home will be hard earned, but after finally breaking through Galway again, their journey is unlikely to end this weekend.

Verdict: Maigh Cuilinn

Pictured: Maigh Cuilinn’s Fiachra McDonagh, pictured in action against Tuam Stars, will be striving to make an impact against Sligo’s Shamrock Gaels on Sunday.