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Tuam Stars reached the Galway final for the second successive year today. INPHO/Cathal Noonan
Championship 2012

Semi-final battles in Galway SFC and Sligo SFC

Last four senior club football showdowns were on the agenda in Connacht over the weekend.

GALWAY SFC
Reigning champions Corofin were knocked out of the county senior football championship at the semi-final stage yesterday afternoon in Tuam Stadium as local side Tuam Stars gained revenge for their final defeat last year by winning 2-6 to 0-9.

Tuam Stars got off to an ideal start with county senior Conor Doherty, an All-Ireland U21 medal winner last year, raised a green flag and they were ahead 1-2 to 0-0 after the opening quarter. Corofin finally got on the scoreboard on the 28th minute and recovered to only trail 1-3 to 0-3 by the interval. However Tuam Stars began the second-half brightly by finding the net once more through Paul Doherty and they moved quickly in front by 2-5 to 0-4.

Corofin then took over and mounted a recovery with Tomás Costelloe (3), Michael Lundy and Kieran Comer all raising white flags to cut the deficit to two points. However Tuam Stars held on with John Ross Bodkin adding the insurance point as they booked their spot in the decider where they will seek the club’s first title at this level since 1994.

In the decider Tuam Stars will meet Salthill-Knocknacarra, the 2006 All-Ireland club champions who will contest their first Galway decider since 2005. Salthill-Knocknacarra got the better of Killererin by 3-10 to 0-10 in the second game at Tuam Stadium yesterday.

David Tierney grabbed an early goal to provide a boost for the winners and they lead 1-5 to 0-5 at the interval with Killererin denied a goal after Padraig Joyce saw his penalty effort strike the woodwork. Salthill-Knocknacarra maintained that advantage in the second-half with Seamie Crowe firing two late goals, one from a penalty spot, to seal their success.

SLIGO SFC
Curry qualified for the final of this year’s Belfry county senior football championship with a narrow 0-9 to 0-8 victory over Tourlestrane in Kilcoyne Park yesterday. The success ensures Curry will contest their first decider since 2006, when they last won the crown, after their win over the defending champions. The match was keenly contested with Curry ahead 0-5 to 0-3 at the interval before they staved off the second-half challenge of Tourlestrane to claim a one-point win.

Curry will have to wait to discover the identity of their semi-final opponents after St Mary’s drew with Coolera-Strandhill in Markievicz Park on Saturday evening. St Mary’s, seeking a first final appearance since 2004, lead 2-2 to 1-1 after the end of the opening quarter but their lead was cut to 2-2 to 1-4 by the interval.

In the second-half Coolera-Strandhill pulled ahead by 1-8 to 2-4 but St Mary’s salvaged a draw as it finished 1-10 to 2-7. The replay will take place on Saturday September 29th at 5pm in Markievicz Park.