Photo: @mayonewssport
I was otherwise engaged pretty much all day yesterday so it’s only now that I’m getting around to mentioning the day’s wet and windy club action. It’s action worth discussing, however, as it saw two county clubs capturing Connacht silverware.
You’re always safe enough conferring the sobriquet ‘windswept’ on a match that takes place at Pearse Stadium. I’d say something a bit more graphic might, though, be appropriate to describe the conditions that Hollymount-Carramore and Moycullen had to do battle in at Salthill yesterday afternoon in the Connacht intermediate football final. Maybe something like superstormy or whirlwindy or such like.
I gather that Hollymount-Carramore played into the Atlantic gale in the first half but somehow got to the break with a two-point lead. Two points from Darren Coen shortly after the restart, the second a wind-assisted long-range free, put the South Mayo lads four clear but they then had to withstand strong pressure from Moycullen. Three points on the bounce from the Galway team pared the gap right back to the minimum.
A precious point from Kevin Feerick gave Holly-Carra a vital bit of breathing space and they needed it too as Moycullen once more cut the deficit back to a single score. The border boys held on, though, to win in the end by 0-9 to 0-8.
Congrats to them and, in particular, to Ray Connelly whom I’m told played a stormer for them at corner-back at the ripe young age of 40. Hollymount-Carramore’s club championship adventure now continues into the New Year, with a possible trip to Croke Park and a tilt at All-Ireland honours coming into view for them.
I can’t source a match report on yesterday’s final but Local Streaming have video of the entire contest available – it’s here.
Ardnaree can also start dreaming their dreams about a big day out in the New Year. The North Mayo lads also faced Galway opposition, in the form of Clifden, in yesterday’s Connacht JFC final at MacHale Park but, by the sounds of it, they were in control of this contest from start to finish. They led by 1-6 to 0-3 at half-time before going on to close out a 1-11 to 1-7 victory at the finish. Well done to them.
And a belated well done too to Cora Staunton on her staggering tenth All-Star award on Friday night. Peerless seems a bit of a cliché at this stage to use in describing the achievements of the Carnacon legend, a list that continues to grow, year after year. More power to her.
Congrats to Holly/Carra & Ardnaree. Do we know yet who they will play in the All Ireland Series?
The first two Connacht finals have gone the way of Mayo, so let’s hope the Mitchells can complete the hat-trick over the Galway clubs next sunday.
And yes great stuff by Ray Connelly who was mentioned recently in dispatches here with regard to the 2001 Connacht Final and the shennanigans of Frankie Dolan. Great Warrior !
2winjustone – I’ve just seen a tweet from Hollymount-Carramore confirming that their All-Ireland semi-final will be played on the weekend of 23/24th of January against the Ulster champions, which will either be Loughanisland (Down) or Realt Na Mara (Donegal).
Congrats to both Hollymount Carramore and Ardnaree ans esp. to Ray Connelly.
Also to Cora Staunton. A legend in her own lifetime and I doubt that she is done yet. Interesting to see that Cork’s Breege Corkery is hot in her pursuit with nine All Stars and she’s hardly finished yet either.
While the men’s game is my main interest stewarding work means that I see quite a lot of Ladies football and the improvement in standards over the last number of years is absolutely huge. As regards pure entertainment and football quality I would put it ahead of the men’s game most of the time. The ugliness of defensive all behind the ball football has not impacted the ladies game yet to any degree. [Although I’m told that was the pattern of this year’s Senior final]. Yet it does not get anywhere near the press coverage or publicity it deserves. It took RTE until yesterday evening to mention the announcement of the Ladies All Stars on its website.
Would be great to see a clean sweep for Mayo at club level. Particularly given the despair expressed earlier in the year at the underage setup.
Well done to Hollymount Carramore Ardnaree Ray Connelly and Cora. Saw Ray mark Big John Donnellan a real little and large dual. I am delighted for them all in particular the Hollymount Carramore team. Not an easy amalgamation but it has really paid off with some good team work on view every time they take to the field. Cora a legend in her own time is all we need to say.
Well done Cora