St James joined Salthill in the Galway Senior Football Championship quarter-finals with a hard earned 1-10 to 0-8 victory over Caltra on Saturday evening in Tuam Stadium.
County player Paul Conroy excelled at midfield for the city side and the returned Eoin Concannon had a tremendous game in a roving role.
Concannon shot three points (1f ) and was a key player for the club in reaching the last eight. In a game that saw 30 wides registered between both sides during the hour, it was a goal by Ronan O’Connell that sealed the deal for the “Jimmies”.
Killererin defeated Naomh Anna Leitir Mór at Pearse Stadium on a score-line of 4-15 to 2-12, with former All Star Padraic Joyce notching a hat-trick of goals for his team. Joyce rattled the net with a first-half penalty as Killererin held an impressive 2-8 to 0-4 lead at half-time.
However goals from Ferdia and Fiachra Breathnach in the opening minutes of the second half pulled Ciarán Ó Flatharta’s side back within three, but Joyce sealed the win with two more goals in a comprehensive nine-point victory. Others to impress for the 2010 champions were Tomás Fahy, Nicky Joyce, Micheál Boyle and Tommie Joyce.
Last year’s beaten finalists Tuam Stars battled hard before overcoming a difficult assignment against Mountbellew/Moylough with four unanswered points seeing Tuam to a three-point win. They had scores from Paul Doherty, Jamie Murphy, Darragh O’Rourke, Darren Kelly and Niall Quinn.
Niall O’Brien hit 1-1 in the first minute and that proved the difference as An Ceathru Rua got past the challenge of Kilconly, 1-16 to 0-14.
Corofin left it late in Tuam on Sunday evening to clinch their place in the last eight and needed two injury-time points from Alan O’Donovan to take a 0-14 to 0-12 win over Cortoon Shamrocks. Corofin trailed by a point at the break, but fought back to 0-12 after 60 minutes as O’Donovan completed the great escape. Other scorers for the champions included Damien Burke and Kieran Fitzgerald. Derek Savage, Shane Gilmore, David Warde and Joe Donnellan raised flags for the Shamrocks.
Micheal Breathnach’s, with Peadar Óg Ó Gríofa and Fiontáin Ó Curraoin and team captain Seán Denvir showing good form, had a 2-10 to 0-7 victory over a disappointing Annaghdown outfit.
The last game of the weekend in Tuam stadium on Sunday evening saw Milltown defeat Caherlistrane by four points, 0-9 to 0-5.
