For the first time, the Galway Senior Football Championship final will be contested by Salthill-Knocknacarra and Moycullen following their respective victories over Mountbellew-Moylough and Annaghdown on Sunday afternoon in Pearse Stadium.
The game takes place in Pearse Stadium at 1.45pm on Sunday afternoon.
Salthill-Knocknacarra are seeking their first county title since 2012 when they beat Tuam Stars, while Moycullen are looking for their second title in three years, having lifted Frank Fox in 2020. Perhaps it is that experience which has Moycullen as slight favourites.
Salthill-Knocknacarra are rejuvenated under the stewardship of John O’Mahony this season. They failed to get out of their group in 2021 and now are looking to win their first title in a decade.
It is some turnaround O’Mahony has overseen, along with selectors Seán Armstrong and Finian Hanley. They have been beaten only once this season, by Mountbellew-Moylough in the group stage, and even then they could consider themselves slightly unlucky when Mountbellew-Moylough pulled away in the last few minutes as Salthill-Knocknacarra continued to push forward more.
Salthill-Knocknacarra were extremely impressive in every other game with Cathal Sweeney, Tomo Culhane and Robert Finnerty, in particular, in exceptional form.
Finnerty, playing with a real swagger, has probably been the player of the championship so far. However, to stop Moycullen they will need to halt their running game. This will mean Seán Kelly, Paul Kelly, Peter Cooke and Owen Gallagher will have to be tagged at all times, and in that respect, the addition of Kerry’s Donie Hunt for this season will really help their game plan for the final. They will also have to keep close tabs on Dessie Conneely inside with Eoin McFadden likely to be assigned with that task.
Moycullen have shown some indifferent form throughout the campaign. They topped the group of death unbeaten as they overcame Corofin and Tuam Stars. They did, however, draw with Naomh Anna Leitir Móir in their final group game, which shows some inconsistency in their ranks, despite already being qualified. They were also run very close by Claregalway in the quarter-final when they had the game seemingly put to bed, but ended up only winning by the narrowest of margins.
However, they showed in the semi-final, that on their day at full pelt, they are probably the best team in the county, and this was evident in the manner in which they destroyed Mountbellew-Moylough.
Don Connellan will have his team well primed for the Salthill-Knocknacarra challenge and will look to nullify their main threats. Neil Mulcahy looks suited to go toe-to-toe with Robert Finnerty, while corner-back Michael Moughan may pick up Tomo Culhane.
These individual battles will determine the outcome in what is set up to be a very entertaining game of football
Salthill-Knocknacarra v Annaghdown
Salthill-Knocknacarra were firm favourites heading into their semi-final against Annaghdown, having shown impressive form to qualify comfortably from the group stages.
The availability of Finnerty, who had been an injury concern heading into the game due to a back injury, was a welcome boost, but Annaghdown started the brighter, thanks to a well-struck point by midfielder Eoin Curry, which was followed up by a placed ball from stalwart Frankie Burke.
The in-form Tomo Culhane opened the Seasider’s account from play, but Annaghdown wing-back Seán Forde quickly responded.
Finnerty, however, displayed his effortless class to bag a brace of points before Ruairi Lavelle put Salthill-Knocknacarra in front with a free from the deck.
Damien Comer kicked the point of the game from distance off his left foot to level the game again, but frees from Comer and Frankie Burke free gave Annaghdown a two-point lead at half time.
Eoin Curry stretched it to three immediately after the break only, for CathalSweeney to run immediately up the pitch and drive the ball into the top corner of the net. It gave Salthill-Knocknacarra a lead which they held to he end.
Tomo Culhane kicked a quick brace of points, and although Annaghdown managed to keep touch, Rob Finnerty finished with three points as the game finished 1-12 to 0-09.
Moycullen v Mountbellew-Moylough
Moycullen was much the better team in the second game when seeing off holders Mountbellew-Moylough's challenge.
Eoin Finnerty, an injury doubt heading into the game, lined out in the full forward line for Val Daly’s side, and opened the scoring in the seventh minute as he led the Mountbellew-Moylough attack all day.
Paul Kelly was exceptional in the first half for Moycullen, kicking their first two points, while also making a huge impact in the middle third.
Although Barry McHugh kept his team in the game from placed balls, Moycullen were on top as they exacted revenge for last year’s semi-final defeat.
The crucial score came when Mountbellew-Moylough goalkeeper Damian Boyle failed to execute a pick-up, allowing Neil Mulcahy to set up Michéal Reilly to tap into an empty net. This left the scores at 1-06 to 0-04 at half-time and Moycullen never really looked back.
Mountbellew-Moylough missed multiple opportunities, which would have kept them in the game, but Seán Kelly eliminated their threat in the 42nd minute when he took the ball at midfield and drove straight through the heart of the defence before unleashing a rasper into the back of the net.
Moycullen bagged their third goal late on when Damian Boyle was missing from the goal after pushing up on a kickout, and Niall Walsh gladly finished. The game ended 3-09 to 0-09.
