The Galway club league finals took place over the weekend. With divisions 1, 2, 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B all up for grabs, there was plenty of football on offer for spectators. Starting on Friday with the division 1 and 2 finals. Bearna defeated Salthill-Knocknacarra on a score line of 0-6 to 0-4 in what was a testing game in Pearse Stadium.
The game was level with 0-3 a piece at the break and Bearna managed to contain their opponents to just a single point in the second half. Having lost the division 2 finals in both 2021 and 2022 Bearna finally got the reward their perseverance deserved and will play at the top table next year.
In division one, Corofin faced Tuam Stars in Tuam stadium in a game that went right to the wire. The game finished 0-11 to 2-5 at the end of normal time. Scores were at a premium during extra time with the game ending 0-13 to 2-7 leading fans to a penalty shoot-out. Gary Sice, Dylan Canney, Rory Donnellan and Kieran Molloy all put away their penalties with a Bernard Power save and a wayward effort giving Corofin the title for the second year in a row.
In division 3A, Oughterard came up against Corofin’s intermediate team and Oughterard playing with a strong wind built up a halftime lead that Corofin were never able to pull back. Some brilliant shooting from distance from the Oughterard men gave them an 0-11 to 0-3 halftime lead.
Corofin tried gamely to reduce the arrears in the second half but the Oughterard men were just too strong and ran out comfortable 10-point winners in the end, 1-15 to 0-8. The Division 3B final was played on Sunday morning in Pearse Stadium between Naomh Anna Leitir Mor and Williamstown. The Gaeltacht side ran out four-point winners in the end with a score of 1-14 to 1-10 and will now ply their trade in Division 3A for 2024.
Finally in Division 4 the A and B finals where Caltra faced Menlough in A and Caherlistrane faced Annaghdown in B. The A final was on Saturday afternoon in Tuam Stadium and Caltra ran out comfortable winners, winning 1-14 to 0-5. Having won division 4 last year Caltra were unlucky not to be pushed up to 3B but will certainly be there next year.
Possibly the game of the weekend was left until last with Annaghdown v Caherlistrane turning into a cracking game. The sides were level at 1-05 apiece at the break. The game ended at 2-11 each and extra time was needed. In extra time, Caherlistrane kicked into a two-point lead heading for the final minute of extra time. A free score by Annaghdown left one in it before Annaghdown somehow managed to get the ball into the back of the Caherlistrane net in the final moments and hold out to win 3-14 to 2-15.
With six finals played and a shield final won by Ballinasloe, there was plenty of club football played before the championship starts for senior, intermediate and junior at the end of this month.
