Leitir Móir made very hard work of defeating a limited Cloone side in the Connacht semi-final at Pearse Stadium last weekend.
Nevertheless they did so. And in their own unconquerable style, they ground out another one-point victory even though they diced with death for the last 10 minutes.
They were behind by one at half-time, but two fine points from Ferdia Breathnach at the start of the second half put them on the road to victory.
Those two scores were followed by another from a free by Daithí MacDonnchadha (his fifth in total ) and a terrific strike from substitute Patrick Mark Ó Fatharta. That put them three to the good, but they completely lost their shape after those scores and did not score in the last quarter.
The certainty is that if Cloone had scored some of the frees they missed in the last 15 minutes, Ciarán Ó Fatharta’s team would be out of the competition.
They are not though, and they will face either Geevagh (Sligo ) or Westport (Mayo ) in the provincial final.
Last Sunday their best performers were Eoghan Ó Conghaile in goal, Coilín Ó Hogáin and Ciarán Bairéad in defence and up front, Cormac Ó Conghaile who scored a marvellous goal after a superb pass from Mac Donnchadha.
The man-of-the-match for the Connemara side was Galway senior player and Naomh Anna captain Fiachra Breathnach, whose powerful runs and ability to penetrate into the heart of the Cloone defence was the main reason that his side have another day out.
They will have to improve to win the final and follow the likes of Caherlistrane, Moycullen and St Michael’s out of the province as intermediate champions, but their indomitable spirit, best typified by the likes of Patsy Seoighe, make them a difficult side to beat.
