Menlough’s marvels cruise home in one-sided decider

Menlough 3-14

Clonbur 0-4

MENLOUGH came out on top in a very one-sided Primary Junior County Football Final at Tuam Stadium on Saturday beating Clonbur by 19 points and, in the process, lifted the Odlums Irish Purity Cup – one of the oldest cups in the country.

Five points from the boot of veteran midfielder Robert Hughes, all from frees, along with goals from Donal Loftus, Hugh Keeley, and Com O’Brien sealed an emphatic victory for Menlough.

They now go on as Galway’s representative’ in the Connacht Junior Club Football quarter-finals where they will face St Michael’s of Roscommon on the weekend of November 11/12 November, after they were comprehensive 2-17 to 0-9 victors over Clann na nGael over the weekend.

Clonbur, who became the first Galway team to win the All-Ireland club junior title in 2012 when they beat Tyrone side Derrytresk 1-8 to 1-7, never really got into the game, and struggled for scores throughout.

Despite a couple of early wides, Menlough opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Kevin Reilly ran in and passed the ball onto Brian Monaghan who scored with a well-taken point.

They added to that almost immediately when Niall Carty burst through the middle of the pitch. Carty passed the ball into O’Brien, who in turn found Hugh Keeley, and he slipped the ball under the advancing Enda Joyce in the Clonbur goal.

With Menlough winning the early midfield battle, Clonbur decided to go with the short kick-outs. However, goalkeeper Joyce was struggling to find his team-mates, leading to more pressure on their defence.

When giving the ball away in dangerous areas, Menlough capitalised. Two frees from Hughes, along with a mark from Donal Loftus had Menlough fully in control, leading 1-0 to no score with 15 minutes played.

When Clonbur did venture upfield, they either left their efforts short or indecisiveness crept in, and they lost momentum. They were also met by a solid wall of defence, starting with centre-back Kevin Reilly. He, along with Michael Ryan, Liam Gormally, Tomas Mannion, and Hughes gave them very few opportunities.

Pictured: Menlough's Kevin Reilly on the ball against Naomh Padraig An Fháirche in the Primary Junior County Football Final at Tuam Stadium on Saturday. Photos: Joe O'Shaughnessy.