Finnerty the hero as Mountbellew/Moylough retain U21 A title

The Mountbellew/Moylough U21 football team which overcame Salthill-Knocknacarra in the 2017 County A Final in Bekan on Saturday. Back row, left to right: Joe Meehan, Michael Daly, Shane Moran, Leo Donnellan, Patrick Keavney, Oran O'Reilly, Ronan Griffin, James Foley, Michae Foley, Tommy Shaughnessy, Colin Murray, Billy Mannion, Sean Kelly, Matthew Cheevers, Calum McInerney, Kieran Kelly, Niall Sweeney, Tom Moran, manager. Front row: Michael Lyons, Paul Donnellan, Mark Mannion, James Fahy, Eric McCormack, Gerard Donoghue, Colm Mannion, Sean Miland, Eoin Finnerty, Colin Ryan, Padraic Stephens.

placeholder image — The Mountbellew/Moylough U21 football team which overcame Salthill-Knocknacarra in the 2017 County A Final in Bekan on Saturday. Back row, left to right: Joe Meehan, Michael Daly, Shane Moran, Leo Donnellan, Patrick Keavney, Oran O'Reilly, Ronan Griffin, James Foley, Michae Foley, Tommy Shaughnessy, Colin Murray, Billy Mannion, Sean Kelly, Matthew Cheevers, Calum McInerney, Kieran Kelly, Niall Sweeney, Tom Moran, manager. Front row: Michael Lyons, Paul Donnellan, Mark Mannion, James Fahy, Eric McCormack, Gerard Donoghue, Colm Mannion, Sean Miland, Eoin Finnerty, Colin Ryan, Padraic Stephens.

Mountbellew-Moylough 1-7

Salthill/Knocknacarra 1-6

IT was only fixed 48 hours earlier and the match wasn’t even played in Galway, but that won’t bother the Mountbellew-Moylough U21 footballers after they edged out Salthill/Knocknacarra in the County A Final in Bekan on Saturday.

We expected a game worthy of the occasion and we weren’t disappointed. The reigning champions Mountbellew-Moylough replicated last year’s feat of winning the title when they came out on top in dramatic circumstances at the Connacht GAA Centre.

The Galway U21 final created history when it was the first time it was played at a Mayo venue. This was necessitated due to the torrential rain that has fallen over the past number of weeks.

The standard of play suffered at times due to the soft conditions, but it produced a game of intensity, honest endeavour, and some fine passages of football.

A draw looked the likely outcome as the sides were tied at 1-6 apiece when the game's outstanding figure Eoin Finnerty scored an inspirational point to win the title for his team with the last kick of the game.

It was only fitting that their captain and talisman should land the winning score as he was magnificent from first whistle to last. Pitted against fellow Galway panellist John Maher, Finnerty always had the upper hand, and set an example for his colleagues.

Mountbellew-Moylough’s win is especially praiseworthy as they were forced to line out without Michael and John Daly due to injury. But they put this behind them to snatch victory at the death.

Full report in this week's Connacht Tribune