Tourmak’ rejoice in smash and grab title win
The Tourmakeady team after their dramatic victory over Shrule/Glencorrib in last Sunday's final of the Mayo U21 'D' Football Championship, which went to extra-time, at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence.
There were scenes of joy and scenes of utter heartbreak as the full-time whistle sounded, after Tourmakeady snatched victory in Sunday’s county U21 ‘D’ final thanks to Luke Lydon kicking the clinching point deep into extra-time. To make matters even harder to take for Shrule/Glencorrib, they had led by three points in stoppage time at the end of normal time but conceded a last gasp goal.
The Border boys did recover to lead again by two points at half-time in extra-time, and by three points with only five minutes to go, but they still managed to come out on the wrong side of the result. They were so near and yet so far. Tourmakeady, as you’d expect, never threw in the towel and struck 1-1 late on to kickstart joyous scenes.
“Hugh pride in the players. The work they put in over the last two months has been extraordinary,” manager Tom Naughton outlined to the Western People afterwards. “They have been working so hard since the start of September. I was just hoping that they would perform on the day. We did that in patches in the end.
“We did have difficult periods and challenges during the game but we came through it,” Naughton continued. “We can be so proud of their efforts. They manned up in the game, got stuck into the tackles, they won the hard. We thought the game was gone from us at one stage but so proud we got through it in the end.” The heavy morning rain had thankfully cleared prior to this midday throw-in and both sets of players deserve great credit for the exhibition of football served up, with even the sun making an appearance midway through.
There were two Luke Lydons on the pitch, one on either side, and it was the one wearing Tourmakeady colours who kicked three points to help his side lead 0-4 to 0-2 after 20 minutes, with Seán Joyce scoring one too. But then the other Luke Lydon pounced at the other end as he ran powerfully through the middle to smash home Shrule/Glencorrib’s first goal, despite the Tourmakeady goalie getting a slight touch. And it was that goal that kept his side level at the break, 1-4 to 0-7, with Lydon also adding two points for Shrule/Glencorrib from play.
It was midway through the second-half before the next big score occurred as Stephen Heneghan hit home Shrule/Glencorrib’s second goal, which only stood after a lengthy debate involving the referee and his umpires. The South Mayo side now held a 2-6 to 0-8 lead and it got even better for them when points by Cillian Ryan and Oisin Whelan, a mark, put them six up with 10 minutes remaining.
Tourmakeady, however, refused to give in, and hit back with three unanswered points, two from Harry Barker and a free from Luke Lydon. Then came the real drama when a ’45 was dropped in to a crowded goalmouth by Lydon and fell to Conall McGowan who struck home an equalising goal amid crazy scenes..
Both sides gave it everything in extra-time as bodies tired on the heavy December pitch but it was Shrule/Glencorrib who led at the break 2-10 to 1-11 with points by Luke Lydon and a free by Stephen Heneghan. However, Michael Prendergast and the other Luke Lydon drew Tourmakeady level with two points from play and penalties were now being mentioned before Shrule/Glencorrib struck their third goal.
Substitute Shane Reilly was quickest to react to a breaking ball and drilled home to send his side three clear with six minutes remaining. But Shrule/Glencorrib wouldn’t score again – and it cost them.
Wing-back Liam Burke replied with the perfect response to finish an excellent move to the back of the net to draw Tourmakeady level, leaving it for Luke Lydon to kick the winning point and set of a night of celebrations in the proud Gaeltacht region of West Mayo.
Team captain Johnny Granaghan spoke afterwards of what the victory meant to his club. “We’re delighted. We played Shrule/Glencorrib a few weeks ago in Tourmakeady and we lost by a point or two so it was even more the sweeter to win here today. I thought the referee would never blow the final whistle; it was so nerve-wracking out there.
“The work the lads have put in, the heart, the will-to-win, it was all there and it paid off in the end,” said Granaghan who accepted the cup on behalf of his team from Mayo GAA vice-chairman Con Moynihan.
Moynihan observed that the ‘D’ competition had not been contested since 2019 when the winners were Kilmeena who just last August played their first ever senior championship match. An interesting thought for all involved with Tourmakeady GAA Club.
Scorers – Tourmakeady: Luke Lydon 0-6 (2f), Harry Barker 0-5 (2f), Conall McGowan and Dónal Tiernan 1-0 each, Michael Prendergast 0-2, Seán Joyce 0-1.
Shrule/Glencorrib: Luke Lydon 1-3, Stephen Heneghan 1-2 (0-2f), Shane Reilly 1-0, Liam Higgins 0-3, Cillian Ryan and Oisin Whelan (m) 0-1 each.
Tourmakeady: Padraig O’Neill; Cormac O’Brien, Seán Heneghan, Julius Kurensky; Liam Burke, Fianach McGowan, Dónal Tiernan; Luke Lydon, Conall McGowan; Seán Joyce, Johnny Granaghan, Aaron Toolan-Jennings; Michael Prendergast, Harry Barker, Liam Gibbons. Subs: Tom Prendergast (for Burke 47, inj), Liam Burke (for T Prendergast 68), Culann Walsh-Kelly (for Gibbons ht et), Tom Prendergast (for Walsh-Kelly 78).
Shrule/Glencorrib: Darren Moffatt; Gary Hoverty, Adrian Reilly, Michael McGaugh; Colin Gibbons, Joe Flood, Evan Gibbons; Joe Hughes, Ross Gibbons; Luke Lydon, Oisin Whelan, Liam Higgins; Matthew Martyn, Cillian Ryan, Stephen Heneghan. Subs: Jack Hawkshaw (for Martyn 20), James Kisyov (for Higgins 78).
REF: Declan Leonard (Ballina)
