Knockmore make it back-to-back Mayo titles as defensive masterclass overwhelms Belmullet

Knockmore played with an intensity and a purpose that ultimately proved too much for a Belmullet team who were chasing their first senior title in the club’s first appearance in a senior decider for 40 years

Sun, 21 Nov, 2021 - 17:25

Mike Finnerty

Mayo SFC final: Knockmore 1-9 Belmullet 0-6

It wasn’t a classic Mayo SFC final but that will be of little concern to Knockmore as they celebrate winning their first back-to-back senior championship titles since 1997.

The holders delivered a defensive masterclass to retain the Moclair Cup and their attack converted more than enough chances to see off the stubborn challenge of Belmullet in front of 4,000 spectators in Ballina.

Ray Dempsey’s team of champions played with an intensity and a purpose that ultimately proved too much for a Belmullet team who were chasing their first senior title in the club’s first appearance in a senior decider for 40 years.

Knockmore restricted the challengers to a single point from a Ryan O’Donoghue free in the opening half while they finished the match in style, shooting five of the last six points to run out convincing winners of their 10th senior title.

A goal from full-forward James Ruddy late in the first half was a watershed moment, while Knockmore also got big performances from man of the match Kieran King, who swept in front of Mayo star O’Donoghue brilliantly, along with warhorse midfielder Shane McHale and Mayo veteran Kevin McLoughlin.

The champions led at the end of a low-scoring, scrappy, broken first half by 1-2 to 0-1.

The goal came five minutes into additional time when Knockmore’s target-man James Ruddy won the ball brilliantly in the air, from an Aidan Orme pass, before finishing clinically past Belmullet goalkeeper Shane Nallen.

Knockmore had also settled quickly and they led by 0-2 to 0-0 at the first water break after scores from Peter Naughton (free) and Pearse Ruttledge in the fourth and 14th minutes.

Belmullet had to wait until the 29th minute before Ryan O’Donoghue, who was tightly marked by Knockmore captain David McHale, and also had to cope with the close attentions of the aforementioned King, converted a free.

That score seemed to settle the Erris men, but they were rocked when Ruddy pounced to hit the net six minutes later.

Knockmore’s Connell Dempsey was shown a black card moments after the goal was scored for comments made to Belmullet’s goalkeeper Shane Nallen.

But the champions made light of being a man down at the start of the second half and they tacked on two inspirational scores in quick succession from Peter Naughton and Conor Flynn to push their lead out to six points.

Belmullet looked to be in real trouble at that stage, but they stuck to their game-plan and points from captain Eamon McAndrew, Ryan O’Donoghue (free), and his brother Shea cut the gap to a goal again.

However, their momentum was checked by a black card for Marty Boylan after a late challenge on King.

Ruddy’s goal was all that separated the sides at the second water break but Belmullet drove on again after the restart and a brilliant long-range effort from Owen McHale meant they were right back in contention again.

It was at this stage that Knockmore showed the true mark of champions as they made their extra man count to shoot three points in the space of as many minutes to surge clear.

Wing-back Conor Flynn got the ball rolling with a neat effort from close-range before Peter Naughton converted a pressure free and Connell Dempsey added an inspirational point from distance.

Knockmore were 1-7 to 0-5 up when the dust settled and Belmullet’s resistance had been broken.

The last fifteen minutes saw Knockmore manage the game expertly, pinning their opponents back, and tacking on two frees from Peter Naughton to close the game out and retain the title.

Knockmore: C Reape; M Park, David McHale, S Holmes; N Armstrong, K King, C Flynn (0-2); K McLoughlin, S McHale; P Ruttledge (0-1), A Naughton, C Dempsey (0-1); A Orme, J Ruddy (1-0), P Naughton (0-5, 3fs).

Subs: K Ruttledge for Armstrong (41); D McHale for Ruddy (50); L Durcan for Bourke (61).

Belmullet: S Nallen; M Barrett, Colin Barrett, C Connor; J Kelly, E O’Donoghue, S O’Donoghue (0-1); E Healy, E Ivers; C Conway, D Cosgrove, F Ryan; O McHale (0-1), R O’Donoghue (0-3, 3fs), J Boylan.

Subs: M Boylan for Healy (HT); E McAndrew (0-1) for J Boylan (35); J O’Donnell for Cosgrove (40); Cathal Barrett for M Boylan (60); L Howard for M Barrett (60).

Referee: J Henry (Castlebar Mitchels)