Galway League end 55-year Traynor Cup famine in style

Limerick League 0

By Mike Rafferty at Eamonn Deacy Park

FOR 55 years, history has leant heavily on the shoulders of the only previous Oscar Traynor Cup winners from 1971, but on Sunday a new generation of Galway League players put themselves in the record books with an authoritative display as they annexed the inter-league trophy for just the second time ever.

In difficult conditions and on a heavy pitch, the home outfit set the standard and an early Padraic Cunningham goal gave them a confidence boost, before fellow striker Enda Curran added a brace as he brought his tally for the campaign to nine as Galway gradually eased away for what turned out to be a comprehensive victory. Late goals from Calym Crowe and Ben McDonnell were just the icing on the cake as a sloppy Limerick side were punished to the full.

The visitors have always enjoyed a strong pedigree in this competition and with seven titles they are one of the more decorated leagues in the country. They were beaten finalists last season when losing at home by 2-1 against the Wexford League but, on this occasion, can have no complaints about the outcome. While Limerick did display some ability from an attacking point of view, they were totally outmaneuvered on the day and in comparison to the home side, did not look like a cohesive unit.

Having seen off Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo-Leitrim and Wexford in the earlier rounds, Brendan O'Connor's charges just appeared to get better with every outing and to produce such a display in a final is all the more memorable. Timmy Molloy in for the injured Tom Kidd and Nathan Ward back for the absent Adam Molloy were the only changes to the eleven that saw off Wexford.

Both sides offered early attacking threats as Darragh Rainsford and Conor Coughlan looked impressive for the visitors and they had the first opportunity to take the lead when a Blake Curran cross fell to Vinny Ryan in the box, but Conor Winn advanced quickly off his line to close the space and deflect away the shot.

Galway were much more clinical when their first chance arrived on eight minutes. It was Timmy Molloy who started the move with a pass into the path of Mark Ludden on the left. His cross picked out Padraic Cunningham in space inside the box and the Moyne Villa striker took a touch before drilling a low effort past Josh McCarthy to put the home side 1-0 up.

Though Shane Walsh tried to muster a response from the visitors in the middle of the park, they never directly threatened the home goal for the remainder of the half, as the Galway back three of Nathan Ward, Cathal Coyne and Calym Crowe dominated their sector.

Pictured: The Galway League's Padraic Cunningham getting the better of the Limerick League's Blake Curran during Sunday's Oscar Traynor Cup Final at Eamonn Deacy Park. Photos: Joe O'Shaughnessy.