Salthill stay in winning form but stiffer tests still to come

Oughterard 1-11

By Mike Rafferty at Pearse Stadium

A six point win for Salthill-Knocknacarra might appear impressive, but it took a late scoring blast to allow them pull away in the closing quarter as they made it two from two in the Senior Football Championship in Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

It was the type of scoring run required to see off an Oughterard side who came from five down at the break and who closed the deficit to within a point with 45 minutes elapsed.

But as Oughterard went chasing the game, gaps appeared in defence as the likes of Matthew Thompson, John Maher and Rob Finnerty exposed them as Salthill opened up the play,with alate Evan Nolan goal killing off the Connemara side’s challenge.

Despite facing the elements, it was Oughteratd who laid down the early marker with a goal on eight minutes. After Matthew Tierney, with a free, and Charlie Power exchanged the early scores, Paddy Walsh and Tierney combined to set up Enda Tierney to raise a green flag, before the City outfit levelled matters through a Michael Kitt two pointer and a score from out on the right by Nolan.

Oughterard were certainly finding gaps themselves in the early exchanges as Ronan Molloy set up Niall Lee for a goal chance, but the quickly advancing James Kelly did enough to smother his shot.

On an occasion when the short kick out was not over used by either team, the central areas were generally dominated by Finian Hanley's side. Getting plenty of bodies to the dropping zone for the kick outs, they generally out scrambled Oughterard in this area, with Maher, Michael Kitt and Thompson regularly emerging with possession.

Also, for the duration of the game,the Oughterard transition from defence to attack was slow, as the inside line struggled to gain possession. Credit here to Eoghan Deely, Dara Conneely and Paddy Kitt who kept them under tight wraps for the majority of the contest.

A Niall Lee point put his side ahead for the last time on 16 minutes, before Daniel O'Flaherty levelled matters. Matthew Thompson and Lee (free) were then to swap the next scores as matters lay level at 0-6 to 1-3 after 21 minutes.

However, from there to the break, Oughterard were not to score again, while Salthill-Knocknacarra were to add five to their tally. Charlie Power, Robert Walzer and Evan Nolan all pointed from play, before Walzer secured their second two pointer of the day to leave them ahead at the interval by 0-11 to 1-3.

Pictured: Mark Mannion of Salthill/Knocknacarra secures possession against Oughterard's Colin Forde during Sunday's Senior Football Group 1 tie at Pearse Stadium. Photo: Joe O'Shaughnessy.