Youthful city outfit prove too strong for limited Shamrocks

Cortoon Shamrocks 0-8

SALTHILL-Knocknacarra advanced to their third county senior football final appearance in five years with a relatively comfortable win over Cortoon Shamrocks in Tuam Stadium on Sunday afternoon, as Marcus MacDonnacha once more struck for a crucial goal that paved the way for the city side’s progression.

For the third game running MacDonnacha found the net, on this occasion a 47th minute effort from close range after Seán Armstrong and Robert Finnerty had gained the hard yards. The goal opened a five point lead that Cortoon never looked like clawing back, having lost the influential Adrian Varley to injury at the break.

A drab contest was tied at 0-7 apiece just after the interval, but from there Cortoon faded badly, lost their way and added just a solitary point through the tireless Derek Savage. Salthill’s solid structures, allied to their youthful exuberance and physical dominance was just too much for the north Galway men, and Val Daly’s side were worthy winners without setting the world alight.

Salthill will need significant improvement if they are to pose any threat to current kingpins Corofin when they meet in the decider in Pearse Stadium, a repeat of the 2013 final, but Daly will be encouraged that his young guns are passing all the tests presented to them and gaining vital experience along the way.

Conor Healy’s absence from their starting line-up at midfield looked like it might pose them problems, but Barry Kelly was a more than able replacement, and with John Maher adding his sizeable frame to the sector when required, Cortoon struggled in an area they may have sought to lay down a marker in.

On a benign, almost perfect day for football, Salthill-Knocknacarra were on the front foot from early on. Cortoon were struggling badly with their kick-out strategy and Salthill pressed forward, winning a pair of early frees that Armstrong converted before Finnerty popped up in space in the seventh minute to give them a three point lead.

When Cortoon finally decided to go long from the restarts, they had some joy and Joseph Donnellan won a free after some patient play that led to Savage opening their account. Two minutes later, Salthill-Knocknacarra profited when Cortoon won a free in their own half back line, but then took it from the wrong position and compounded their mistake by conceding a free from the hop ball.

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.