Cork's Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh win Comórtas for first time
Béal Átha an Ghaorhaidh’s Ben Seartan (jersey 13) slips through the decisive goal late in the second half that secured his senior team’s victory in the Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta 2022 tournament at Páirc an Mháimín, Leitir Móir, Galway today ( Monday 6). Pic: Seán Ó Mainnín
Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh have won the Senior competition at Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta for the first time in their history after they produced a superb performance to see off Naomh Conaill in Monday’s final.
Leitir Móir in Galway will hold plenty of fond memories for the Cork club with this maiden success coming twenty years after Béal Átha won the Junior titile at the Connemara venue in 2002.
The Cork side saw off Bearna of Galway and An Ghaeltacht from Kerry en route to the final before capping a superb few days with an excellent win over Naomh Conaill, runners-up in last year’s Donegal Senior Championship.
Naomh Conaill have had plenty of recent success at Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta but Béal Átha were deserved victors on the day. Having chipped in with 1-7 in their semi-final win, Ben Seartan was again the main man for Béal Átha, finishing with 1-6.
Béal Átha go off to a flying start when midfielder Conchúr Ó Loingsigh had the ball in the net inside three minutes. Ó Loingsigh had already kicked two wides at that stage but made no mistake when sent through on goal by Seán Ó Luasa.
The Donegal side responded by kicking the next four scores with full-forward Charles McGuinness creating the first three before adding the finishing touch to the fourth. McGuinness and Odhrán Doherty are both members of Declan Bonner’s Donegal county team but were cleared to take part in the action in Connermara over the long weekend.
Béal Átha were struggling to break out of their own half during those first fifteen minutes but they dominated the closing stages of the opening period with Ben Seartan taking a starring role. Béal Átha reeled off six points in a row before the break, Seartan kicking five of them and Seán Ó Luasa grabbing the other, to leave the Cork side ahead by double scores at the break, 1-7 to 0-5.
Naomh Conaill were dealt a blow early in the second half when Brendan McDyer was shown a straight red card but they did manage to claw the gap back to a single point midway through the half with Charles McGuinness to the fore.
Béal Átha finally began to make the extra man count, however, with Diarmaid Mac Tomáis and Conchúr Ó Loingsigh landing important scores before Ben Seartan’s goal in the 53rd minute sealed the win, a first win for a Cork side at the Senior grade since 2005.
Speaking after the game, Seartan was quick to downplay any plaudits coming his way, placing the cause of the success squarely at the feet of his teammates.
“The [strength] of the panel is probably what won the Comórtas for us. We’re three years now under this management, a lot of young players have come through and everyone is pushing each other [for a place on the team].”
Béal Átha’s win prevented what would have been a clean sweep of titles for Donegal sides on Monday.
Gaeil Fhanada won the men’s Junior competition after seeing off Cill Chomáin of Mayo after extra-time, 2-11 to 2-10. Séamus Mac Giolla Chearra’s goal in the second half of extra-time proved to be the crucial score as Gaeil Fhanada won the Gael Linn Cup for the second time.
In the ladies’ Senior final, Gleann Fhinne saw off the home side Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir on a scoreline of 0-9 to 0-4. The Donegal side were without the likes of Yvonne Bonner, Karen Guthrie and Katy Herron, who were all on duty with the county team, but they still had too much for Naomh Anna with Danielle McGinley kicking the pick of Gleann Fhinne’s scores.
There was some local success in the Junior ladies’ competition with Micheál Breathnach seeing off An Cheathrú Rua in Sunday’s final to take home that piece of silverware.
B Seartan (1-6, 1f); C Ó Loingsigh (1-1); S Ó Luasa, D Mac Tomás (0-1 each).
C McGuinness (0-6, 1f, 1’45); O Doherty (0-2); S Corcoran, E Doherty, D Molloy (0-1 each).
D Ó Coill; J Ó Donnchú, É Ó Duinnín, C Ó Nuanáin; C Ó Duinnín, M Ó Ríordáin, L Ó Críodáin; A Ó Coinceannáin, C Ó Loingsigh; S Ó Luasa, D Seartan, N Ó Laoire; B Seartan, L Ó Conchúir, D Ó Ceallacháin.
S Ó Tuama for Ó Ceallacháion (37), D Mac Tomáis for L Ó Conchúir (37), L Seartan for Ó Luasa (44), E Ó Coill for Ó Donnchú (56), C Ó Tuama for Ó Laoire (56).
S McGrath; S Molloy, S Corcoran, C Doherty; H Gallagher, C McGettigan, E Wade; K McGill, E Doherty; A Thompson, O Doherty, C Brennan; D Molloy, C McGuinness, P McGuinness.
AJ Gallagher for S Molloy (HT), B McDyer for S Corcoran (HT), N Byrne for P McGuinness (HT), K McGonagle for D Molloy (48).
G Ó Conámha (Galway).
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