St Michael’s 0-10

An Cheathrú Rua 0-3

Mike Rafferty in Indreabhán

AFTER their heartbreaking defeat in last year’s Junior A championship football final, St Michael’s put that memory well behind them in Indreabhán on Sunday when they registered a comfortable success over An Cheathru Ruá and, in the process, collected the Patrick Sweeney Cup.

Though the Connemara side might have made the more assured start to the game, they were not rewarded in the finishing stakes and once the City men found their bearings, St Michael’s gradually asserted a control and while not exactly prolific with their shot execution, they gave themselves a lead that they never looked in danger of losing.

While An Cheathrú Rua were game and enthuastic, they struggled to gain any supremacy throughout the park, with the outcome that they never got close enough to put any pressure on St Michael’s as Mike Hughes side ran out convincing winners. His selection included the likes of captain Frank Daly and Greg Rogan who won county minor medals in 2001 and 2004, while some of the younger generation were part of the 2021 winning side.

St Michael’s indicated that they could run up a score when defeating Glinsk by 1-12 to 0-11 in the North Board Final, but in contrast An Cheathrú Rua were depending on goals as they defeated Killannin in the West Board decider by 3-2 to 1-7.

Following the confidence gained by that morale boosting win, An Cheathrú Rua started off this game on the front foot as they enjoyed all the early possession, but the issue was that this was mainly around the middle of the field where they could do little damage.

Certainly, Shane Ó Suilleabháin, Tomas Mac Donnacha, Tadhg Daly and Simon Mac Cormac were central to their early possession game, but for all of that An Cheathrú Rua struggled to get a sight of goal.

Pictured: An Cheathrú Rua’s Kian MacDonnacha on the ball against St Michael’s Keilan Clancy during Sunday’s County Junior A Football Final in Inverin. Photos: Seán Lydon.