Junior A Football: Connemara Gaels v Wolfe Tones

Wolfe Tones 3-7 Connemara Gaels 6-16

Connemara Gaels continued their winning run in the junior A football championship with a very convincing win over Wolfe Tones.  Six goals underlined the dominance of the Connemara side, however, a late flurry by the Tones may have caused some concern for the Gaels heading into the teeth of the competition.

The Gaels dominated the opening period, holding the Tones to two points and accumulating a tally of 2-7 themselves.  With the scores at a point each the Gaels first goal came when Shane O’Reilly lobbed Pauric Miskell in the Tones goal.  Points flowed afterwards from Phil Sullivan and AJ Maguire (who entered play following an injury to Damien Doolan).  The Gaels looked sharp, and the half back line had the game under control, setting up the forward forays.

Pauric Miskell guessed right but Phil O'Sullivan's
penalty slipped past.

After Darrragh Mulgrew put a well taken point over with his left foot, the Gaels won a penalty that Sullivan dispatched with little fuss.  The Tones managed to muster a couple of points from Brian O’Connor and Sean Kelly, but struggled to move the ball in the face of a determined and focused Gaels.

The second half saw the Tones score a fantastic goal from Ciaran Cunningham.  The Tones opened up the Gaels defence with some quick passing and Cunningham’s shot from outside the 21 flew into the far corner of the net.  For the Gaels, however, it was a bump on the road to a convincing victory.  There were three more second half goals as there always seemed to be a man available in green and white. Sullivan, Mulgrew, and Stephen Murray hit the back of the net.

AJ Maguire goes to ground attemping to win the ball.

The Tones showed flashes of what they are capable of with another well worked goal finished by Joyce-Power and points from Kevin Ryan and Kelly and finished the game strong, but it was a little too late to have an impact on the outcome.  Another win for the Connemara men though, who are looking like a serious threat for the coveted junior football championship this year.

Tones:  P. Miskell, C. Moran, B. Faulkner, K. Gill, K. O’Regan, N. Mullen, C. Cunningham, B. McShea, C. Joyce-Power, C. Moriarty, B. O’Connor, G. Walsh, S. Kelly.  Gaels:  T. O’Malley, D. Black, C. Morisson, F. Cassidy, P. McNicholas, D. Doolan, J. Farrragher, B. Joyce, S. Murray, C. Mulkerrrins, S. O’Reilly, D. Mulgrew, P. Sullivan.

By Rory O'Donnell