Powerful Knockmore stroll to Sweeney Cup success
Knoickmore captain Peter Naughton receives the Sweeney Cup from Mick Herr, representing the North Mayo GAA Board.
Knockmore were totally untroubled in securing Sweeney Cup honours for 2025 last Saturday, when easing to victory over Belmullet at St Tiernan’s Park. It should be pointed out, however, that the vanquished were without a far greater number of first team regulars than Ray Dempsey’s side who already have the look of a team with big ambitions for the year to come.
Were it not for some excellent goalkeeping by Shane Nallen, then Belmullet would have been staring at a fate much worse than a thirteen points defeat.
The Erris side were without five of the team that had beaten Crossmolina in the semi-final seven days earlier, including injured teenager Fionn O’Donoghue who had caught the eye with a brace of goals in that game, while county panellists Ryan O’Donoghue, Eoin O’Donoghue, Evan Ivers (senior) and Seamus Howard (U20) will also be huge additions come championship time. But this day was all about Knockmore whose strength around the middle third was particularly significant.
Tadhg Staunton, fielding superbly in the first-half in particular, Connell Dempsey, Pearse Ruttledge and Keith Ormsby totally overwhelmed Belmullet, who were also without key midfielder Fionnan Ryan. That dominance between the 45s gave Knockmore a platform to steadily build out their lead.
Connell Dempsey and Daithí Cosgrove traded early points but by the 19th minute Knockmore were already 1-6 to 0-1 ahead. Shane Nallen had saved a fourth minute goal effort by Dylan Coleman but could do nothing about Sean Ruttledge firing to the net in the 13th, after some intricate build-up play between Aiden Orme, Staunton, Coleman and Mikey Lowther.
Peter Naughton, two, including a free, Orme, a free, Coleman and half-back Oran Timlin had supplied the rest of Knockmore’s opening quarter points. In contrast, Belmullet’s second point didn’t arrive until the 22nd minute, although it was a move worth waiting for as Cosgrove, Owen McHale and Eamon McAndrew linked up to supply Anthony Barrett who curled over on the turn.
That, however, was Kieran Lavelle’s side’s final score of a first-half which ended 1-11 to 0-2 in Knockmore’s favour after further points by Dylan Coleman, Aiden Orme, two frees, Peter Naughton and Sean Holmes, who, from wing-back, had offered a very useful attacking outlet throughout the opening 30 minutes. Holmes kicked a pair of wides too but laid on the final pass for an excellent goal chance that saw Oran Timlin thwarted by Nallen in the 28th minute. Two minutes later, the latter had to be alert to keep out Pearse Ruttledge’s rasper as well.
Aiden Orme kicked Knockmore’s first three scores after half-time, including the game’s first two-pointer and two singles, one of which was a free, while Belmullet doubled their first-half tally inside five minutes when Daithí Cosgrove and substitute Peter McArthur raised a white flag apiece.
For the second time in the game, Pearse Ruttledge would find Shane Nallen too stubborn an obstacle to beat but brother Sean did pick off a point to see Knockmore lead by fifteen after 39 minutes, 1-16 to 0-4.
Belmullet supporters were given something to cheer early into the final quarter when an Eamon McAndrew point was swiftly followed by a superbly finished goal by Owen McHale. James O’Donnell made good use of the new tap-and-go rule before McHale played a one-two with Darragh Dixon and unleashed a ferocious shot into the top left corner of the net.
That was good as it got for the Red and White, however. Shane Nallen, from a free, and Connell Dempsey traded two-pointers, likewise there were second points from play by Knockmore’s Peter Naughton and Belmullet’s Anthony Barrett, but the chasers remained firmly under the cosh and Nallen pulled off his best save yet when standing firm against substitute Billy Ruane and he then foiled Mikey Lowther too.
A converted ’45 by Naughton and a point by sub Fergal Keane rounded off a comfortable evening for the boys from the loughs.
Scorers – Knockmore: Aiden Orme 0-1-5, Peter Naughton 0-0-5 (2f, 1 ’45), Sean Ruttledge 1-0-1, Connell Dempsey 0-1-1, Dylan Coleman 0-0-2, Oran Timlin, Sean Holmes and Fergal Keane 0-0-1 each.
Belmullet: Owen McHale 1-0-0, Shane Nallen 0-1-0 (1tpf), Daithí Cosgrove (1f) and Anthony Barrett 0-0-2 each, Peter McArthur and Eamon McAndrew 0-0-1 each.
Knockmore: Ryan McDonnell; Kieran King, Adam Naughton, Martin Orme; Sean Holmes, Mikey Lowther, Oran Timlin; Keith Ormsby, Pearse Ruttledge; Connell Dempsey, Peter Naughton, Tadhg Staunton; Sean Ruttledge, Dylan Coleman, Aiden Orme. Subs: Conor Flynn and Fergal Keane (for Timlin and Coleman 42), David McHale (for Orme 44), Billy Ruane (for S Ruttledge 49), Adam Battle (for Holmes 50).
Belmullet: Shane Nallen; Padraig Meenaghan, Daniel Barrett, Shea O’Donoghue; Rian Concannon, Conan Connor, Darragh Dixon; Darren McDonnell, James O’Donnell; Eamon McAndrew, Owen McHale, Padraic Cowman; Luke O’Reilly, Daithí Cosgrove, Anthony Barrett. Subs: Owen Healy (for McDonnell 23), Peter McArthur (for Concannon ht), Patrick Conroy (for O’Reilly 55).
REF: Declan O’Boyle (Ardagh)
