The Minors were unable to repeat the form of their displays in the earlier rounds of the Championship when losing out to Moycullen in the County Final at Tuam Stadium on Sunday last, 1–6 to 2–7. After a promising start and with a tally of 1–1 to no score after six minutes, Claregalway struggled to push on from there. Scores ere level at half-time and the sides were deadlocked for much of the second half. The stalemate was eventually broken when Moycullen broke through for two goals in the last six minutes to close the game out. Their close-tackling backs foiled many of Claregalway’s best efforts over the hour.
Claregalway started the game with a flourish. After Craig Hansberry opened the scoring with a point, Claregalway’s goal came from a penalty following a foul in the square on Craig Hansberry and Ryan Manning rattled the net with a piledriver. But Moycullen then settled into their game and scored four points without reply to draw level after 15 minutes, 1–1 to 0–4. Both sides then traded points, a pointed free by Ryan Manning following a foul on Mark Rohan, a point by Craig Hansberry and two points by Moycullen in response, resulted in the half-time score Claregalway 1–3 Moycullen 0–6.
On the resumption Claregalway again started brightly, breaking away from the throw-in and winning a free which Craig Hansberry converted. But from then on, both sides found scores hard to come by as play swayed from end to end and eventually Moycullen equalised after ten minutes 1–4 to 0–7. It remained so for the next 15 minutes and the contest looked like ending in a draw until Moycullen’s decisive two goals to win the day. Mark Rohan closed the scoring for Claregalway with two last-minute points, one of which was from a free. Ten of our panel are eligible for minor again next year. Congratulations to Moycullen.
Team: Liam Egan, Padraig Kearney, Damien Culkin, Peter O’Connor, Paddy Griffin, Cathal Evans, Paul Fahy, Dara Hennessy, Harry Connolly, Andrew Connolly, Ryan Manning, Benny Creavin, Mark Rohan, Craig Hansberry, Kevin Brennan. Subs used: Eoin Flaherty, Mark Coyle, Damien Dolan, Christopher Carroll.
We convey thanks and appreciation to the team management and personnel for their time and work with the team panel throughout the year: Paul Concannon, Shane Moylan, Cormac Evans, Jerry O’Sullivan, Keith McDermott and Alan Daly.
