Salthill-Knocknacarra knock out defending champions Corofin to secure county final spot
Former Limerick goalkeeper Donal O'Sullivan made a big late save for Salthill. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
At the turnaround, Salthill-Knocknacarra would be forgiven for thinking what was all the fuss about. They were 13 points up and cruising against champions Corofin. But it was never going to be that easy.
A storming second-half comeback from the Galway kingpins came up just short. Gary Delaney’s side were within a point with four minutes to play, but substitute Evan Nolan produced a fisted point deep into injury time to erect a two-point cushion.
There was still time for one last twist. Liam Silke volleyed a shot towards the Salthill goal, but former Limerick goalkeeper Donal O’Sullivan stood tall. It was a gripping close to a terrific evening of football out west. A repeat of the 2022 final now looms.
A packed stand at Pearse Stadium had begun to wonder when Corofin last failed to score from play in an entire half of knockout championship football when Jack McCabe spared them that indignity with the final kick before the break.
After a flat showing in last year’s semi-final, Salthill were always likely to start fast on home turf. With 23 county titles behind them, Corofin were never going to fold quietly. So it proved.
There were box office matchups all over the field. Robert Finnerty shook off Liam Silke for his first point and struck a goal after a piercing run by John Maher with ten minutes on the clock. A huge concern for Salthill was the sight of Maher being stretchered off midway through the half after landing awkwardly on his ankle. The midfielder was on crutches in the stadium afterwards.
With the wind behind them, Daniel O’Flaherty and Mark Mannion swung over twos to extend the gap. Kickout trouble saw Corofin introduce Ciaran Brady early on. His exceptional fielding was the foundation for their second half fightback.
They thundered back into the game after the restart. Dylan McHugh was awesome in the half-back line. McCabe’s sharpshooting was proving difficult to contain. Liam Silke surged forward and laid on to Darragh Silke for a vital green flag.
A McCabe two-point free down the stretch guaranteed a grandstand finish. There was a huge two-point swing when a Dylan Canney point was cancelled due to a breach. Instead, Finnerty slotted a tap over point for a precious reprieve.
Salthill are now one step away from lifting the Frank Fox Cup. The last time they did so was 2012.
In the curtain raiser, Moycullen dug out a hard-earned one-point triumph over Tuam Stars. Peter Cooke marked his return to club action with three points off the bench, including a sensational two-pointer, to edge them over the line.
A goal by teenager Cian Mitchell had Tuam ahead 1-7 to 0-7 at half-time. Yet in a similar fashion to the second fixture, Moycullen were able to get on top of the Tuam restart and kicked 11 points from 14 shots in the second period.
The last time these two met in the final was 2022. The bare minimum separated them. Expect similar in two weeks’ time.
: J. McCabe 0-7 ( 1tpf, 1f); D. Silke 1-2 (1f, 145); D. Canney 0-2 (1f); C. Brady, K. Molloy, R. Coen, P. Egan 0-1 each.
R. Finnerty 1-6 (2 tpf, 1f); D. O’Flaherty 0-3 (1 tp); M. Thompson, M. Mannion (tp), C. Power 0-2 each; R. Walzer, E. Nolan 0-1 each.
B. Power; C. Silke, C. Carson, L. Silke; D. McHugh, M. Farragher, C. Cunningham; P. Egan, K. Molloy; D. Silke, B. Cogger, J. Leonard; M. Lundy, J. McCabe, I. Burke.
D. Canney for Leonard (6 – INJ); C. Brady for C. Silke (21); C. Murphy for Lundy); R. Coen for D. Silke (both 49).
D. O’Sullivan; E. Deely, D. Conneely, E. Wynne; M. Mannion, A. Mannion, C. Sweeney; J. Maher, M. Kitt; P. Kitt, M. Thompson, D. O’Flaherty; R. Finnerty, C. Power, R. Walzer.
N. Hanahoe for Maher (17 – Inj); D, Hoare for Mannion (28); T. Culhane for Kitt (half-time); J. Power for Hanahoe (47); E. Nolan for Walzer (57).
S. Curley (Glinsk).
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