Late scoring burst sees Seasiders advance to semi-finals

Caherlistrane 1-5

Alan Dooley at Tuam Stadium

Salthill-Knocknacarra ran out comfortable five point victors in the end on Sunday evening in Tuam Stadium, after blitzing Caherlistrane in the last 10 minutes of a dour quarter final. Marcus MacDonnacha’s goal was the key moment as Val Daly’s side powered over the finishing line with five unanswered scores.

Yet another blustery day with bursts of heavy rain in north Galway made for testing conditions, but that can only partially explain the dearth of quality in this contest. A defensive stalemate for large periods, neither side were overly impressive and it was more Salthill’s resilience and higher levels of fitness that won the day.

Caherlistrane had gotten themselves into a decent position when Oisín O’Brien flicked to the net and Cormac Bane pointed in the third quarter. Damningly, though, those two players were the only two to score on the day for Neil McHugh’s side, so that despite Cein D’Arcy’s excellent showing at midfield throughout, they had little or no chance of recovery once Salthill came with a charge.

Seán Armstrong, as always, played a key part in moving Salthill a step closer to their third county final in five years and was involved in all but three of their scores. Their other heroes, though, were working further back the field, as ‘keeper Evan Duffy, Ruaidhrí McTiernan, Conor Healy, and Gavin Duffy all helped to frustrate a Caherlistrane side who had scored 6-61 in their four games before Sunday.

After the first quarter here it was clear that this not going to be a shootout to enthral those in attendance. Playing against the prevailing wind, Salthill got off the mark on five minutes when Armstrong picked up a bloody nose after a tangle with Donal Feeney and Shane Kelly converted the free.

McTiernan and Duffy were sticking tightly to Bane and O’Brien at the other end, with Healy covering the hard yards to get back and help out his defense. Caherlistrane were utilising Brendan Murphy as a sweeper of their own, with Feeney also lying deep and this often left their forward unit heavily outnumbered whenever they tried to get forward.

Cein D’Arcy was doing most of their positive work from the off, immediately setting up a chance from the throw-in for Bane, but like much of their early efforts, his shot was weak and posed little threat. Caherlistrane’s early struggles were best summed up when Bane stood over an 11th minute free outside the scoring range and was pinged for taking too much time by referee Noel Dempsey.

Dempsey kept consistent, sensible control of the game throughout and he awarded Caherlistrane their first scoreable free when Duffy hit Bane with an illegal shoulder. Bane converted but was slightly wide and right on three other occasions from long range in the half, and Salthill-Knocknacarra almost hit them with a sucker punch soonafter.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.