St. James' too strong for city rivals in West Board A final

St. James' 0-12

Salthill / Knocknacarra 0-7

Cian O’Connell at Pearse Stadium

SUNDAY evening's West Board under 21 A football final at Pearse Stadium was ultimately decided by St James' character and sheer willingness to win.

At the interval Salthill-Knocknacarra appeared to be in a decent position only trailing by two points having played into the teeth of a strong wind, but St. James' weren't bothered by the weather conditions.

The victors simply thundered into the contest and their work ethic and appetite to claim breaks, burst through tackles, and ability to vary long and short styles meant that Salthill were in bother. When it really mattered James' power unhinged Salthill, who struggled in the third quarter and that was essentially where this game was lost.

A 19 minute barren spell without a score either side of the break didn't help Salthill's cause and James were able to kick five in a row, three against the elements. From then to the finish Salthill were playing catch up, and with only Tadhg Haran posing any attacking threat, St. James' confidently closed the deal.

Though Salthill started with eight of the team that claimed the county minor title last year, they didn't come anywhere near that high level of performance. James' didn't allow them to and without the injured Gearoid Armstrong, Salthill's inside forward line lacked physicality and every score they registered was earned.

That St. James’ had already defeated Salthill in the preliminary round merely confirmed the fact that this was a deserved success. The winners only encountered one seriously troubled period midway through the first-half, but they responded to regain a lead that was never subsequently relinquished.

With Aaron Connolly effective at centrefield, St. James settled quickly with the breeze a factor as Eoghan O'Regan and Mike Elwood landed splendid points from play as they led by 0-3 to 0-1 nine minutes in. Inevitably, Salthill did improve and with Haran useful in a withdrawn role, St. James found it difficult, but they were still defiant.

Seanie Hughes and Evan Duffy clipped clever scores to bring Salthill back to parity in the 23rd minute, but they failed to hit the front and St. James' recovered. Before the interval Ronan O'Connell and Owen Teagle rifled over points which gave them a 0-5 to 0-3 advantage.  

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.