Clarinbridge made history in some style last weekend, becoming the first club to qualify for a county final having started the year in senior B since the current championship structure was introduced back in 2017.
Jarlath Niland’s side were highly convincing 3-18 to 1-14 winners over Craughwell last Saturday afternoon in Kenny Park, with Gavin Lee’s first quarter goal breaking a 0-3 apiece deadlock, and Clarinbridge managed to maintain a two-point lead impressively until half time despite playing into the wind.
Third quarter dominance followed in which the ‘Bridge outscored Craughwell by 2-7 to 0-1, with Michael Daly and Niall Armstrong netting the goals that well and truly killed the game as a contest.
To rub salt in the wound, Craughwell stalwart Niall Healy was red carded for an altercation with TJ Brennan, and Keelan Cullinane’s late penalty did little more than put some element of respectability on the scoreline.
Galway manager Henry Shefflin was an interested onlooker as Clarinbridge’s Evan Niland once again proved his scoring credentials, bagging 0-13 which included 10 placed balls. Not long after the final whistle sounded, though, the news broke that the following day’s game between Gort and St Thomas’ had to be postponed due to Covid reasons.
That highly anticipated fixture will now take place this coming Sunday at 12noon in Kenny Park, Athenry, with the early throw-in required to avoid clashing with the senior football final taking place in Pearse Stadium.
The Salthilll venue has also been confirmed as the venue for the senior hurling final on Sunday, November 21, with the intermediate final taking place the day before in Athenry.
That promotion decider will be contested by Killimor and Moycullen after they got the better of Meelick/Eyrecourt and Rahoon/Newcastle respectively. Moycullen were double scores winners in their game, with four first-half goals in a 10 minute spell setting the tone in a 5-13 to 0-14 rout.
Killimor were very much on the verge of defeat in Duggan Park on Saturday, but, not for the first time this year, the Ballinasloe venue was the scene of late drama as Killimor struck for 1-1 deep into injury time to advance on a 1-16 to 0-16 scoreline.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, Tynagh Abbey/Duniry will need to defeat Mullagh this weekend to have any chance of avoiding the dreaded relegation play-off.
Elsewhere, Clarinbridge may well have two reasons to be celebrating as their string of underage success shows no sign of slowing. Their Minor A side will take on Oranmore-Maree in that competition’s final in Pearse Stadium on Saturday November 21, with three point wins over Turloughmore and Craughwell securing both clubs place in the decider.
