The last four of the Galway senior football championship is now known following another dramatic weekend of football. The winning margins of the weekend's fixtures was one point for three of the games and two points for one other fixture which is a sign just how competitive the Galway championship is at the moment after a long period of Corofin dominance.
This level of competition can only be a good thing for spectators and also for the Galway football team going forward.The first of the weekend’s games was the clash of Tuam Stars and Salthill-Knocknacarra in which the seasiders just edged out Kevin Reidy’s Tuam side by the bare minimum on a scoreline of 1-11 to 2-07.
Salthill-Knocknacarra started the brighter of the two teams but were dealt a severe blow when star forward Robert Finnerty was forced off with a back injury. However, Tomo Culhane stepped up for his side in the absence of FInnerty, finishing with a tally of 0-06 and also providing a superb pass to set up Ultan Sheerin’s goal.
Tuam Stars were a point down heading into the final ten minutes but were reduced to thirteen men in a flash due to a Seamus Kelly red card and a Cormac McWalter black. Despite, their numeric disadvantage, Tuam Stars can count themselves unlucky not to have received a late free to equalise when Jamie Murphy appeared to be fouled.
The game of the weekend unsurprisingly came from the titanic battle of Corofin and Mountbellew-Moylough who are all too familiar with each other. The level of quality on display in the game from the likes of Ian Burke and Barry McHugh was the best on show in the championship to date.
As the teams entered the break with seven points apiece, their fierce rivalry spilled over going down the tunnel despite the game having been played in good spirits to that point.
When Martin Farragher netted for Corofin to put them a point up with ten minutes to go, it looked like they were primed to push on. However, the class of Barry McHugh pulled Mountbellew-Moylough to victory as his late mark ensured Val Daly’s team overcame Corofin for the third year in succession on a scoreline of 0-15 to 1-11 and put them out at the quarter final stage for the first time since 2007.
Sunday afternoon in Pearse Stadium hosted the meeting of St Michael’s and Annaghdown. It was of course Alan Flynn’s team who dramatically booked their place in the quarter finals with a required twelve point winning margin over Barna. They now find themselves in a county semi-final after beating Colm Tummon’s outfit by 1-08 to 0-09.
The all important goal which separated the teams at the final whistle was scored by Damien Comer. With a player like Comer in their ranks, Annaghdown are going to be a threat no matter who they play and will quietly fancy upsetting the odds.
Moycullen and Claregalway was the final fixture of the last eight and that game was also played in Pearse Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Don Connellan’s team were hotly fancied ahead of the game but were pushed all the way by a youthful Claregalway outfit as the game finished 1-12 to 1-11.
Barry Goldrick spearheaded the Claregalway fight as the diminutive wing forward was a thorn in the Moycullen defence all day. Moycullen will be concerned with the manner in which they allowed Claregalway find their way back into the game when they were in such a commanding position at half time, but they have a fortnight to work on that ahead of their semi-final.
