Intermediate
Caltra and St. Michael’s played out a thrilling draw in the intermediate county final in Tuam Stadium last Saturday and will battle it out again in the same venue this Saturday at 1.45pm.
St. Michael’s burst out of the blocks, and thanks to some fine shooting from Gary Higgins led 0-6 to 0-1 after 26 minutes. Caltra’s only response came from Eoin O’Ceallaigh in the eighth minute. Caltra’s big guns up front then kicked into gear before the interval, with Alan Naughton and Shaun Keane scoring a point each and combining brilliantly for a goal to leave a point in it at the break.
Naughton started the second-half where he finished the first and soon levelled the game before St. Michael’s made another push, scoring four of the next five points with Caltra’s only reply being a boomer of a free from Keane from 50 yards out.
Gabriel Naughton’s side rallied once more with Robbie Greene scoring a point just a minute before centre forward Mikey Mulryan had the ball in the back of Stephen Daly’s net to put his side ahead for the first time. Naughton and Higgins swapped frees to leave the 2004 All-Ireland champions a point ahead with three minutes remaining.
Gavin Summerville levelled the game once more before Higgins scored his sixth free to put Mike Hughes side on the brink of an immediate return to senior football. Full back Enda Murray broke forward to break St. Michael’s hearts with a 63rd minute equaliser.
There was still time for one more attack for the city side, winning a 45’. Higgins had been on form all day but his kick swung just wide of the posts. Referee, Gerald Anthony Lohan, blew the full-time whistle and the sides would have to do battle once more.
Gary Higgins top scored for his side with eight points, but the duo of Alan Naughton and Shaun Keane will take the plaudits for their excellent interplay up front and pulling their side back into the game, combining for 1-5 of Caltra’s 2-8.
Senior
On Sunday afternoon Corofin will face Padraig Pearses for just the second time ever in Tuam Stadium.
The sides’ first meeting came in 2019 where Corofin won the Connacht title for the fourth year in a row on route to their third All-Ireland title in a row. In terrible conditions Corofin were by far the better side but let their Roscommon opponents back into the game before outscoring their opposition 1-4 to 0-1 in the final 20 minutes.
14 of the players that saw game time that day for Corofin once again saw game time two weeks ago when Kevin Johnson’s side won their second county title in a row against Maigh Cuilinn.
Having had an average campaign by their high standards, Corofin began to come alive in their semi-final win before an impressive win in the county final. Johnson and his side will need to push on again if they are to beat a side that recently won their third Roscommon title in six years. Having come through last year's All-Ireland finalists St. Brigids after extra-time in the quarter-final, Frank Cannings side cruised through the semi-final before grinding out the win over Roscommon Gaels in the final on October 20.
Eoin Colleran and Paul Carey have been in great form for their club and will need to be closely marked by the Galway champions, but the key battle in this game will be around the middle third.
Corofin dominated the county final thanks to fantastic displays from Patrick Egan, Michael Farragher and Ciarán Brady but Conor Ryan along with the three Daly’s; Niall, Conor and Ronan, will not let them have it all their own way.
Corofin’s forwards have begun to play themselves into some form with Jack McCabe, Gary Sice and Darragh Silke all having a large part to play in their county final with Colin Brady playing a hugely influential role off the bench scoring two points from play and surely forcing his way into Kevin Johnson’s thinking for Sunday afternoon.
Corofin will be without Dylan Wall for the game but Brady’s strong forward running would help make up for that.
In a game of small margins, and in what is sure to be a tough day, that extra bit of class from either side could prove the difference. Corofin will be grateful to have the home comforts of Tuam Stadium with Hyde Park being somewhat of a bogey ground after losing again in the Connacht final in 2023.
John Gilmartin of Sligo is set to referee the game which will also be live on TG4. With the game throwing in at 1.30pm, TG4 are once again providing an excellent service for fans and elderly unable to travel to the game.
Fresh from receiving his first All-star, Corofin’s captain Dylan McHugh will be hopeful of leading his side through to the Connacht semi-final which will be played the week after against Leitrim champions Mohill.
On the other side of the draw, Mayo champions Ballina Stephenites will play North London Shamrocks in Ruislip on Saturday at 1.30pm. The winners will play Sligo champions Coolera Strandhill who came through a replay against St. Malaise Gaels last Sunday, 0-8 to 0-7.
Junior
Also this weekend, An Ceathru Rua will play Salthill/Knocknacarra in the junior promotional final.
An Ceathru Rua are unbeaten in this year's championship with wins against Clonbur, Carna Caiseal, and Renvyle in the group stage before defeating Carna Caiseal again in the West final and narrowly beating Killererin in the primary 1 final.
Salthill/Knocknacarra have made tougher work of making it this far through the primary junior 2 championship. They drew with Maigh Cuilinn in their opening game, before defeating Barna and narrowly losing to Claregalway. The seasiders then defeated St. Michael’s to finish second in their group and were drawn to face Corofin in the quarter-final.
Salthill/Knocknacarra won well against Corofin and then Mountbellew/Moylough in the semi-final. A drawn game was played out against Tuam in the final before winning 2-0 on penalties.
An Ceathru Rua will go on and represent Galway in the Connacht junior championship no matter what happens this weekend, but Maghnus Breathnach's side would love to keep the momentum going into the Connacht campaign by securing a quick return to the intermediate ranks. The game throws-in at 2pm in An Spideal and will be refereed by Colm Conway.
