Final rivals are going to ‘play it again’
Sligo footballer Evan Lyons with, from left, Fiona, Eva and Jade Lyons at the GAA Champion 15 Awards ceremony at Croke Park last Friday night. He was one of three Sligo players named on the 2024 Tailteann Cup Team of the Year along with Sean Carrabine and Niall Murphy. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
This year’s Sligo SFC Final is to be repeat of last year’s, as holders Coolera-Standhill and Division 1 league champions St Molaise Gaels came through their respective semi-finals at Markievicz Park on Sunday.
It wasn’t a comfortable ride for Coolera-Standhill despite beating St Mary’s 0-10 to 1-4. The conditions played a disruptive role and St Mary’s played with the wind behind them in the first-half. They started well and after four minutes had opened a two points lead through Kyle Cawley and Robert O’Kelly Lynch. Coolera-Standhill got there only score of the half on 12 minutes as Niall Murphy pointed a free after Kevin Banks was fouled.
St Mary’s were awarded a penalty on 15 minutes as O’Kelly Lynch was fouled by Ross O’Carroll who picked up black card for the tackle. Kyle Cawley made no mistake from the spot and the town side now led 1-2 to 0-1. Eli Rooney added a free on 17 minutes but the game would be without a score for the remaining 13 minutes of play so five points was the difference at the turnaround.
But Coolera-Standhill showed why they are county champions by dominating the second-half, with Niall Murphy standing out and scoring six more points. St Mary’s ended a 42-minute scoreless spell but Eli Rooney’s pointed free was their only second-half score.
In the other semi-final, St Molaise Gaels got the better of Shamrock Gaels 1-10 to 0-12. The wind was again a big factor and it aided Shamrock Gaels in the opening 30 minutes, but it was St Molaise Gaels who opened the scoring through Alan McLoughlin. Gaels soon settled and took a three points lead after 22 minutes with Steven Willis among the scores.
McLoughlin added three points before the break but it Shamrock Gaels still led at the break.
The key score of the match came on 59 minutes as Gerard Brady found the back of the net and as try as they might, Gaels couldn’t deny St Molaise Gaels a one point win.
In the Sligo SFC relegation semi-final, Curry were doomed to a final playoff against Calry St Joseph’s by virtue of their one point defeat to Easkey, 0-12 to 1-08.
The South Sligo outfit had started the game well and scored 1-2 without reply inside four minutes but Easkey soon settled and replied with points from Kevin Duffy and Andrew Kilcullen. Curry restored a strong lead and led 1-5 to 0-2 after 27 minutes, with Alan Reilly and Keith Feely among the scorers, but Kilcullen replied with two points before the break to cut Curry’s lead to four.
That was stretched to five upon the restart when Adrian Marren added a free but Easkey were starting to dominate. Three points in-a-row by Joe McHugh was a big boost, so too when Curry’s Adam Gallagher picked a black card on 40 minutes.
Kilcullen added a free and a point from substitute Rory McHugh drew Easkey level before they took the lead for the first time in the match on 53 minutes through Kilcullen. That was followed by point from Hayden Gilroy but Marren replied with a free to leave the minimum between the sides.
Easkey added another point but there was more drama as Alan Reilly had a late goal chance which flew over the bar.
The losers of next weekend’s Curry v Calry St Joseph’s clash will play intermediate in 2025.
Meanwhile, Eastern Harps have advanced to the final of the Sligo intermediate championship after they overcame Geevagh by 2-6 to 0-8 in their semi-final replay.
Geevagh scored first through Darren Foley before Harps replied with a point from Conor Walsh and goal from Ciaran Dorrian. Shawn O’Hara added two points and Dorrian’s second goal on 24 minutes helped Harps to lead 2-4 to 0-4 at the break.
The chasers cut their arrears to two points through scores from Pat Hughes and Dara Mostyn but they would score once more as Harps booked a showdown with Owenmore Gaels.
Castleconnor are in danger of being relegated to the junior championship following their 1-13 to 0-11 loss to West Sligo rivals St Farnan’s. A low scoring first half saw St Farnan’s lead 0-5 to 0-4 despite playing against the wind and the key score came in the second-half when Gavin Connolly found the back of the net.
This season’s Sligo JFC final will be contested by Cloonacool and Ballymote. Cloonacool beat St Mary’s ‘B’ 3-8 to 1-7 and Ballymote overcame St Michael’s 2-17 to 0-11 in last weekend’s semi-finals.
Eoin Carty played a big part in Cloonacool’s triumph as he netted twice while the other goal was scored by James Lawrence.
Ballymote led St Michael’s 0-8 to 0-6 at half-time but were extremely strong in the second-half, with Cian Kilcoyne scoring a 46th minute penalty and Conor Meehan hitting the net again just one minute later. They already had eight points to spare over their opponents in Saturday week’s final, Cloonacool, when meeting in the group stages.
Easkey and Naomh Eoin contest the Sligo SHC Final next weekend while the senior (Curry v Calry St Joe’s) and intermediate (Castleconnor v St John’s) football relegation finals also take place.
Neighbours Tubbercurry and Coolaney-Mullinbreena meet in the Sligo JFC ‘B’ final and the Sligo LGFA senior final is between Eoghan Rua and St Nathy’s.
