TOMÓ CULHANE WAS the hero for Salthill-Knocknacarra when he slotted home the match-winning goal 10 seconds from the end of a dramatic Galway SFC final at Pearse Stadium.
It seemed that champions Maigh Cuilinn, who came from six points adrift with 12 minutes left, had retained their crown when Peter Cooke pushed them in front in the second and final minute of stoppage time.
But John Maher won the kickout and he set up the impressive Matthew Thompson, whose surging presented the opportunity for Culhane to get in and slot the ball low into the bottom right corner with his left foot to secure Salthill’s fourth-ever title, and their first since 2012.
🤯 SALTHILL HAVE DONE IT AT THE DEATH‼️
Unbelievable scenes as Tomó Culhane scores a last minute goal for @skgaa to dethrown @maighcuilinn and win the Galway SFC Final
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Salthill-Knocknacarra led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the break having played with the strong breeze behind them in the opening half.
They looked dead and buried five minutes from the break when they trailed by 0-4 to 0-0, shooting half a dozen wides and failing to make use of the wind.
But the introduction of Tomó Culhane led to a Salthill-Knocknacarra revival after Mark Mannion finally got them off the mark on 25 minutes, set up by All-Star nominees Rob Finnerty and John Maher.
Then Culhane, still battling his way back from injury, landed a two-pointer from the left wing to cut the gap to one before he levelled the contest with a free.
And Culhane put them in front at the break when he landed another two-pointer from the left after executing a neat dummy.
Finian Hanley’s charges could have done with Culhane much earlier as they struggled to use the wind in getting scores and it was Maigh Cuilinn who bossed matters for most of the opening half, with Peter Cooke and Niall Walsh holding up the ball around the half-forward line and Sean Kelly manning a strong defence.
And with Dessie Conneely in typical accurate form, they led by 0-4 to 0-0 at the end of the opening quarter with the corner-forward, who spent most of the summer in Australia, accounting for all their scores.
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Salthill celebrate with the cup. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
He got them off the mark after three minutes from the left, then tapped over a free after Walsh was fouled before kicking excellent scores from either wing into the wind to put the champions in a commanding position.
Salthill-Knocknacarra introduced injured captain Daniel O’Flaherty at the break and with Michael Kitt and Maher dominating midfield and Thompson taking the game to the champions, they extended their lead with three points to one from Maigh Cuilinn interval substitute Owen Gallagher.
Remarkably, the Galway championship’s top scorer, Rob Finnerty, who came into the final with a haul of 5-28, failed to score, with Eoghan Kelly keeping close tabs on him, but the All-Star nominee delivered the ball which his brother Colm palmed to the net to put them 1-9 to 0-5 in front.
Former Antrim and Galway player Gallagher and ex-Leitrim player Niall Walsh did most to revive the Maigh Cuilinn challenge, with a two-pointer from Conneely keeping them in touch.
Culhane is raised aloft. Tom Maher / INPHO
Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO
But they still trailed by six points after 48 minutes before Gallagher landed a two-pointer and another point. Then he crashed a shot off the crossbar and Paul Kelly drilled home the equalising goal four minutes from time at 1-12 apiece.
Maigh Cuilinn thought they had won their fourth title when Cooke landed his superb two-pointer but there was still time for Culhane, who was off target with a couple of frees when they lost the final last year, to secure the crown with his last-gasp goal.
Scorers:
Salthill-Knocknacarra: Tomo Culhane 1-6 (2x2pt, 0-2f), Colm Finnerty 1-1, Matthew Thompson 0-2, Mark Mannion 0-1, Paddy Kitt 0-1, Daniel O’Flaherty 0-1.
Maigh Cuilinn: Dessie Conneely 0-6 (1x2pt, 0-2f), Niall Walsh 0-5 (1x2pt), Paul Kelly 1-0, Peter Cooke 0-2 (1x2pt), Owen Gallagher 0-1.
Salthill-Knocknacarra
1. Ruairi Lavelle
2. Dara Conneely
3. Damien Kiely
4. Evan Wynne
18. Paddy Kitt
7. Mark Mannion
6. Aaron Mannion
8. John Maher
9. Michael Kitt
20. Cathal Sweeney
11. Matthew Thompson
19. Mikey Mullery
15. Colm Finnerty
14. Rob Finnerty
22. Robert Waltzer
Substitutes: 17. Cillian O’Toole for P Kitt (16-21′ blood), 24. Tomó Culhane for Walzer (21′), 12. Daniel O’Flaherty for A Mannion (half-time), 17. O’Toole for Mullery (half-time), 25. Daniel Hoare for Sweeney (51′), 27. Mikey Culhane for M Kitt (60′)
Maigh Cuilinn:
1. Nevin O’Donnell
2. Conor Corcoran
3. Eoghan Kelly
4. Mark Hynes
18. Aidan Claffey
6. Sean Kelly
7. Sean O’Connor
8. Paul Kelly
22. Ger Davoren
17. Johnny Moloney
11. Niall Walsh
25. Peter Cooke
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Culhane the hero as Salthill-Knocknacarra claim Galway football title with last-gasp goal
Salthill-Knocknacarra 2-12
Maigh Cuilinn 1-14
John Fallon reports from Pearse Stadium
TOMÓ CULHANE WAS the hero for Salthill-Knocknacarra when he slotted home the match-winning goal 10 seconds from the end of a dramatic Galway SFC final at Pearse Stadium.
It seemed that champions Maigh Cuilinn, who came from six points adrift with 12 minutes left, had retained their crown when Peter Cooke pushed them in front in the second and final minute of stoppage time.
But John Maher won the kickout and he set up the impressive Matthew Thompson, whose surging presented the opportunity for Culhane to get in and slot the ball low into the bottom right corner with his left foot to secure Salthill’s fourth-ever title, and their first since 2012.
Salthill-Knocknacarra led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the break having played with the strong breeze behind them in the opening half.
They looked dead and buried five minutes from the break when they trailed by 0-4 to 0-0, shooting half a dozen wides and failing to make use of the wind.
But the introduction of Tomó Culhane led to a Salthill-Knocknacarra revival after Mark Mannion finally got them off the mark on 25 minutes, set up by All-Star nominees Rob Finnerty and John Maher.
Then Culhane, still battling his way back from injury, landed a two-pointer from the left wing to cut the gap to one before he levelled the contest with a free.
And Culhane put them in front at the break when he landed another two-pointer from the left after executing a neat dummy.
Finian Hanley’s charges could have done with Culhane much earlier as they struggled to use the wind in getting scores and it was Maigh Cuilinn who bossed matters for most of the opening half, with Peter Cooke and Niall Walsh holding up the ball around the half-forward line and Sean Kelly manning a strong defence.
And with Dessie Conneely in typical accurate form, they led by 0-4 to 0-0 at the end of the opening quarter with the corner-forward, who spent most of the summer in Australia, accounting for all their scores.
He got them off the mark after three minutes from the left, then tapped over a free after Walsh was fouled before kicking excellent scores from either wing into the wind to put the champions in a commanding position.
Salthill-Knocknacarra introduced injured captain Daniel O’Flaherty at the break and with Michael Kitt and Maher dominating midfield and Thompson taking the game to the champions, they extended their lead with three points to one from Maigh Cuilinn interval substitute Owen Gallagher.
Remarkably, the Galway championship’s top scorer, Rob Finnerty, who came into the final with a haul of 5-28, failed to score, with Eoghan Kelly keeping close tabs on him, but the All-Star nominee delivered the ball which his brother Colm palmed to the net to put them 1-9 to 0-5 in front.
Former Antrim and Galway player Gallagher and ex-Leitrim player Niall Walsh did most to revive the Maigh Cuilinn challenge, with a two-pointer from Conneely keeping them in touch.
But they still trailed by six points after 48 minutes before Gallagher landed a two-pointer and another point. Then he crashed a shot off the crossbar and Paul Kelly drilled home the equalising goal four minutes from time at 1-12 apiece.
Maigh Cuilinn thought they had won their fourth title when Cooke landed his superb two-pointer but there was still time for Culhane, who was off target with a couple of frees when they lost the final last year, to secure the crown with his last-gasp goal.
Scorers:
Salthill-Knocknacarra: Tomo Culhane 1-6 (2x2pt, 0-2f), Colm Finnerty 1-1, Matthew Thompson 0-2, Mark Mannion 0-1, Paddy Kitt 0-1, Daniel O’Flaherty 0-1.
Maigh Cuilinn: Dessie Conneely 0-6 (1x2pt, 0-2f), Niall Walsh 0-5 (1x2pt), Paul Kelly 1-0, Peter Cooke 0-2 (1x2pt), Owen Gallagher 0-1.
Salthill-Knocknacarra
1. Ruairi Lavelle
2. Dara Conneely
3. Damien Kiely
4. Evan Wynne
18. Paddy Kitt
7. Mark Mannion
6. Aaron Mannion
8. John Maher
9. Michael Kitt
20. Cathal Sweeney
11. Matthew Thompson
19. Mikey Mullery
15. Colm Finnerty
14. Rob Finnerty
22. Robert Waltzer
Substitutes: 17. Cillian O’Toole for P Kitt (16-21′ blood), 24. Tomó Culhane for Walzer (21′), 12. Daniel O’Flaherty for A Mannion (half-time), 17. O’Toole for Mullery (half-time), 25. Daniel Hoare for Sweeney (51′), 27. Mikey Culhane for M Kitt (60′)
Maigh Cuilinn:
1. Nevin O’Donnell
2. Conor Corcoran
3. Eoghan Kelly
4. Mark Hynes
18. Aidan Claffey
6. Sean Kelly
7. Sean O’Connor
8. Paul Kelly
22. Ger Davoren
17. Johnny Moloney
11. Niall Walsh
25. Peter Cooke
13. Fionn McDonagh
14. Fiachra McDonagh
27. Dessie Conneely
Subs: 15. Owen Gallagher for Fiachra McDonagh (half-time), 9. James McLaughlin for Moloney (39′), 14. Fiachra McDonagh for Fionn McDonagh (50′)
Referee: Shane Curley (Glinsk)
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