Jubilant Coolera Strandhill stun Pearses with storming Connacht final comeback

Sligo champs Coolera/Strandhill battled back from five points down with around 20 minutes left on the clock

CHAMPIONS: Coolera-Strandhill players celebrate their stunning won over Padraig Pearses in the Connacht Club SFC final at Markievicz Park, Sligo. Pic: John McVitty, Inpho

Connacht Club SFC final: Coolera/Strandhill (Sligo) 1-15 Pádraig Pearses (Roscommon) 1-14

COOLERA-STRANDHILL won a first-ever Connacht Club SFC title thanks to an epic extra-time defeat of favourites Pádraig Pearses at Markievicz Park.

Ross Doherty’s goal in the first period of extra-time was the vital score for Coolera/Strandhill who became only Sligo’s second winners of this competition and the first since St Mary’s were provincial champions in 1983.

Coolera/Strandhill, appearing in their first final in this grade and underdogs against the much-fancied Pádraig Pearses, opened the scoring with a pointed free from their taliman Niall Murphy.

The Sligo champions controlled the opening 18 minutes and were good value for 0-5 to 0-3 lead by the 18th minute.

Among these points were a series of well-taken efforts from Ross O’Carroll, Oran Harte, who got a pass from his brother, goalkeeper Keelan, Kevin Banks and Aaron O’Boyle.

Coolera/Strandhill were managing to curb Pádraig Pearses, who kicked half a dozen wides in the first-half, but they failed to score for the last 12 minutes of the opening period.

Coolera's Ross Doherty kicks a point

Pádraig Pearses, for whom wing-back Conor Daly kicked two fine points, eventually hit their stride in the closing stages of the first-half to lead 0-7 to 0-5 at the break, with two good points coming from Jack Tumulty.

Coolera/Strandhill started the second-half with a classy point from goalkeeper Keelan Harte but then Padraig Pearses struck 1-1 - the goal coming from Declan Kenny’s well-taken penalty - to lead by five points, 1-8 to 0-6, by the 38th minute.

But Pádraig Pearses, who kicked 14 wides overall, only scored once more in that second-half as Coolera/Strandhill showed resilience to come back into proceedings.

Sean Taylor and Niall Murphy kicked fine points during this comeback and Kevin Banks landed a superb equaliser to level matters, 0-12 to 1-9, in the 59th minute.

There were chances for both finalists to win the game before extra-time but these opportunities were missed.

Extra-time was initially cagey until Ross Doherty flicked the ball to the net - from a Niall Murphy free that dropped short – to push Coolera/Strandhill ahead.

Substitute Adam Higgins’ third point put Coolera-Strandhill three points clear, 1-15 to 1-12, at the start of the second period of extra-time.

They held on, despite Padraig Pearses notching two further points, to make it a one-point game as the clock ticked down.

Scorers for Coolera-Strandhill: Niall Murphy (0-5, 4f); Adam Higgins (0-3); Ross Doherty (1-0); Kevin Banks (0-2); Ross O’Carroll (0-1); Oran Harte (0-1); Aaron O’Boyle (0-1); Sean Taylor (0-1); Keelan Harte (0-1) 

Scorers for Padraig Pearses: Declan Kenny (1-3, 1-0 pen); Eoin Colleran (0-4, 3f); Jack Tumulty (0-3, 1f) Conor Daly (0-2); Conor Ryan (0-1); Jack Nevin (0-1) 

COOLERA/STRANDHILL: K Harte, S Taylor, C McDonagh, J Cassidy, R O’Carroll, O Harte, K Banks, P Laffey (c), A O’Boyle, M McDaniel, R Doherty, L Doherty, N Murphy, B O’Mahony 

Subs used: A Higgins for A O’Boyle, 36; L Bree for J Cassidy, 68; H Rooney for L Doherty 70; C Burke for K Banks, 75 

PÁDRAIG PEARSES: P Whelan, A McGreal, C Keogh (j-c), G Downey, C Daly, N Carty, R Daly, C Ryan, N Daly (j-c), D Murray, C Harley, D Kenny, J Tumulty, P Carey, E Colleran 

Subs used: S Canning for A McGreal, 40; C Lohan for G Downey, 50; J Nevin J Tumulty, 51; E Kelly for P Carey, 59; J Tumulty for E Kelly 71; M Richardson for S Canning, 72; E Kelly for C Keogh, 73 

Referee: Thomas Murphy