Maigh Cuilinn annihilate Annaghdown to set up repeat Galway SFC decider

Dessie Conneely of Maigh Cuilinn scored 2-16. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

Galway SFC semi final: Maigh Cuilinn 4-26 Annaghdown 0-8

Dessie Conneely led the way with an astonishing haul of 2-16 as Maigh Cuilinn advanced to their fifth Galway SFC final in a row when they ousted Annaghdown at Pearse Stadium to set up a repeat of last year's final against Salthill-Knocknacarra.

New Galway manager Éamonn Fitzmaurice was in attendance at the Salthill venue for the semi-final double-header.

Conneely struck 2-4 in the opening half as the reigning champions laid the foundation for victory playing against the breeze in the opening half to lead by 3-8 to 0-6 at the break.

They will now hope to win their fourth title since they won their first in 2020 and with former Galway player Peter Cooke back in their starting line-up for the first time this season, they backed up their 22-point quarter-final win over Mountbellew-Moylough with another comprehensive win.

Annaghdown stayed with them for the opening quarter but were unable to get sufficient ball into Damien Comer to build a lead.

Conneely then struck for two goals in three minutes, finishing off a good move for the opener after 17 minutes and then supplying another finish as they turned the screw.

A two-pointer from Enda Mullarkey and one from Comer cut the gap to 2-6 to 0-6 after 25 minutes but the champions finished the half strongly with Niall Walsh getting their third goal in added time to lead by eleven at the break.

Annaghdown, looking to reach their first final since 2002, needed a good start to the second-half to have any chance but it was Maigh Cuilinn who pulled away, outscoring them by 0-8 to 0-1 in the opening ten minutes of the half.

Annaghdown’s day of woe increased when they lost Comer to a knee injury as Maigh Cuilinn kept picking off scores at will.

Cooke got their fourth goal with a super shot from 20 metres into the top left corner after being set up by Conneely after 53 minutes as they cantered home.

MAIGH CUILINN: N O’Donnell; C Corcoran, E Kelly; M Moughan; A Claffey, S Kelly, S O’Connor; P Kelly (0-2), G Daveron (0-1, 0-1 mark); J Moloney, N Walsh (1-2, tp), P Cooke (1-0); Fionn McDonagh (0-2, 0-1f), O Gallagher (0-2), D Conneely (2-16, 0-6 frees, 4tpf). 

Subs: M Hynes for Moughan (31, injury), J McLaughlin for Walsh (39), C Gallagher (0-1) for Moloney (41), C Cox for McDonagh (47), L McLaughlin for Sean Kelly (54).

ANNAGHDOWN: J Healy; R Duggan, J Creaven; O Kelly, Daithi Kilcommins, D Hegarty; J McDonnell, Diarmuid Kilcommins; M Naughton; C Heavey, D Meehan (0-2), D Quinn; E Mullarkey (0-2, tp), D Comer (0-1), S Curley (0-3, 0-3f). 

Subs: E Reddington for Quinn (22), R Gleeson for Hegarty (Half-time), C Quinn for McDonnell (36), E Forde for Daithi Kilcommins (54).

Referee: Anthony Coyne (Milltown).