An Spidéal juniors edge out Oileáin Árainn again

OILEÁIN Árainn will start to get a complex if the hard luck stories continue. The islanders must be scratching their heads this week wondering what in the world do they have to do to beat bitter Gaeltacht rivals An Spidéal. For the second year running, Árann were beaten by An Spidéal in a thrilling West Board Junior A final ... and once again it was a hard luck story of sorts. Last year’s final was marred by violence, which sparked off when Árann had an injury time free that landed just short in the square and then somehow found its way into the net, but only after the final whistle had sounded. Had the goal been allowed, Árann would have won by a point and there were parallels again on Sunday afternoon when Árann had a late chance – this time to level the match – deep in injury time but they failed to grasp it allowing An Spideál to be crowned West Board Champions for the second year on the trot and advance to the County Final against Headford. In fairness An Spideál, on the overall balance of play, probably deserved to retain their title and were full value for their win but there would have been few arguments among the big crowd at Pearse Stadium had Árann centre-forward Eoghan Póil punished a sloppy mistake by his marker, Micheál Ó Curraoin, to convert a point with the last kick of the encounter. We would have relished a re-match. Agonisingly for Ó Curraoin, the last ditch effort dropped short into An Spidéal 'keepers Pádraig Ó Maolallaigh’s reliable hands. The game was up and the Árann lads – gutted – were left wondering what might have been. Oh, they’ll have regrets all right. This decider, for the second year on the trot, turned on Árann’s concession of a sloppy goal. Having battled to a 0-7 to 0-6 lead at the break, An Spideál, scored the most opportunistic three-pointer just seconds after play resumed. Full-forward Tomás Ó Flatharta gained possession out around the '40, close to the stand, and was weighing up his options when there seemed little or no threat. But Ó Flatharta then took a speculative hit-in-hope punt at the posts, which seemed to hover in the air for an age, and seemed destined to drop short into the hands of whoever won the battle between defender and attacker on the edge of the square. And that’s when a rush of blood to Aonghus Ó hAlmháin’s head, compelled the Árann keeper to come off his line without conviction and the ball bounced off one of the trio into his unguarded net for what looked like an own goal although Ó Flatharta will surely claim the credit.It all happened so quickly, yet you could see it coming. Ó hAlmháin knows he should have gone more forcefully – taken man and ball – to clear the danger but in his defence, the glare of the searing Salthill sun didn’t help his task. From there on in you sensed An Spidéal weren’t going to let it slip and despite a rousing Árann fight-back, An Spidéal held their nerve to emerge with the spoils.