For the second time in three years, Moycullen are county champions after defeating a gallant Salthill-Knocknacarra by 1-10 to 1-09 in Pearse Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Moycullen’s first county title came in 2020 during the pandemic in a season when there was no Connacht or All-Ireland series played. The majority of that group were playing again on Sunday, and now they will deservedly get to go on and represent Galway in the Connacht Championship. With the talent on the pitch for Moycullen last Sunday, the sky is the limit.
Thankfully the weather held up reasonably well for this season's final, although there was still a stiff breeze in Pearse Stadium.
Moycullen opted to play with the elements in the first half, but it was the Seasiders who opened the scoring in the second minute when Robert Finnerty converted a close-range free after Tomo Culhane was felled close to the penalty area.
However Dessie Conneely immediately responded for Moycullen as he breezed past two defenders before punching the ball over the bar.
Salthill’s next score put them firmly in the ascendancy as Daniel O’Flaherty’s left-footed effort for a point following a driving run was caught in the breeze, looped over the unfortunate Andrew Power into the back of the net.
Moycullen's Sean Kelly, operating in a more advanced role, scored Moycullen’s second point, while Dessie Conneely and Peter Cooke struck placed balls for Don Connellan’s team to quickly level the game again.
Moycullen were able to take the lead for the first time in the ninth minute when Owen Gallagher’s effort just squeezed between the post before Robert Finnerty and Moycullen centre back David Wynne traded scores.
Then Salthill-Knocknacarra took control, and another Robert Finnerty brace and a Tomo Culhane free left John O’Mahony’s side to a fully merited two-point lead at the interval which was fully merited on the balance of play.
However, Conneely’s frees had Moycullen back level pegging once again as the second half became a more pragmatic affair. Salthill-Knocknacarra added their first score after the break with 17 minutes on the clock when Sean O’Leidhinn used the wind at his back to guide a beautiful kick from the left wing and put his team back in front by one.
Both teams went tit-for-tat over the next 10 minutes as Evan Murphy and substitute Evan Nolan with a brace extended Salthill-Knocknacarra’s advantage to two points, despite Dessie Conneely and Owen Gallagher points.
Then came the game's turning point. In the 56th minute Owen Gallagher’s piercing run resulted in a floating effort, and although dropping short, Peter Cooke connected and fisted into the net. It was the first time Moycullen had led the game since the ninth minute, and a position they would not relinquish as they held on to win by the minimum.
Salthill-Knocknacarra will feel hard done by, based on their performance, but it is hard to argue with a Moycullen victory given the professional manner with which they closed the game out following their goal.
When John O’Mahony and co reflect on the season in the coming weeks, they will be heartened by their team’s improvement across the season and will go into 2023 with fresh optimism.
Elsewhere, in the senior relegation group, St James’ defeated An Cheathru Rua by six points in a 1-10 to 0-07 victory on Saturday afternoon. That results gives the Jimmies a boost in their survival hopes as they now top the relegation group with another set of fixtures upcoming this weekend.
