Ó Loinsigh and Breathnach swing verdict for Leitir Móir
Naomh Anna 3-12
Mayo Gaels 1-14
(AET)
Pádraic Ó Ciardha at Pearse Stadium
NAOMH Anna Leitir Móir’s remarkable season continues as they booked their place in this year’s Connacht Intermediate Football Final after a remarkable victory over Mayo Gaels on Saturday.
Not for the first time this year, it looked like the Connemara side’s race was run with less than ten minutes to go as they trailed by four points and were a man down.
Sparked by the efforts of two veterans, Ferdia Breathnach and Éamonn Ó Loinsigh, both of whom were around for Naomh Anna’s last Connacht campaign in 2009, the Galway champions hit four points in a row before Ó Loingsigh’s goal at the start of extra-time set his side on the way to the final.
Saturday’s semi-final was similar in a number of ways to Naomh Anna’s county final win over Dunmore McHales. In a match shaped by miserable conditions, there was a premium on ball retention and Naomh Anna struggled for long periods. They went the first 15 minutes of both the first and second halves without scoring and allowed their opponents to build a four point lead on three separate occasions, no small margin in those conditions.
Their ability to score goals has got Naomh Anna out of a hole on more than one occasion this year, however, and it was the same in this semi-final. Having hit the back of the net 14 times in seven championship games before Saturday, Naomh Anna added three more against Mayo Gaels and each, it must be said, were of the highest quality.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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