Superb-sub Culhane's late goal edges Salthill-Knocknacarra past Maigh Cuilinn in Galway SFC final

It seemed that champions Maigh Cuilinn had retained their crown when Peter Cooke pushed them in front in the second and final minute of stoppage time. But then Culhane struck

MATCH WINNER: Salthill-Knocknacarra's Tomo Culhane celebrates winning. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Salthill-Knocknacarra 2-12 Maigh Cuilinn 1-14

Salthill-Knocknacarra captured the Galway SFC crown when superb-sub Tomo Culhane slotted home the match-winning score ten seconds from the end of a dramatic Galway SFC final at Pearse Stadium.

It seemed that champions Maigh Cuilinn, who came from six points adrift with 12 minutes left, had retained their crown when Peter Cooke pushed them in front in the second and final minute of stoppage time.

But John Maher won the kickout and he set up the impressive Matthew Thompson whose surging presented the opportunity for Culhane to get in and slot the ball low into the bottom right corner with his left foot to secure their fourth title and first since 2012.

Salthill-Knocknacarra led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the break having played with the strong breeze behind them in the opening half.

They looked dead and buried five minutes from the break when they trailed by 0-4 to 0-0 after shooting half a dozen wides after failing to make use of the wind.

But the introduction of Tomo Culhane led to a Salthill-Knocknacarra revival after Mark Mannion finally got them off the mark after 25 minutes after being set up by All Star nominees Rob Finnerty and John Maher.

Then Culhane, still battling his way back from injury, landed a two-pointer from the left wing to cut the gap to one before he levelled the contest with a free.

And Culhane put them in front at the break when he landed another two-pointer from the left after executing a neat dummy.

Finian Hanley’s charges could have done with Culhane much earlier as they struggled to use the wind in getting scores and it was Maigh Cuilinn who bossed matters for most of the opening half with Peter Cooke and Niall Walsh holding up the ball around the half-forward line and Sean Kelly manning a strong defence.

Salthill-Knocknacarra Tomo Culhane celebrates his winning goal. Pic: Philip Fitzpatrick/Sportsfile

And with Dessie Conneely in typical accurate form, they led by 0-4 to 0-0 at the end of the opening quarter with the corner-forward, who spent most of the summer in Australia, accounting for all their scores.

He got them off the mark after three minutes from the left, then tapped over a free after Walsh was fouled before kicking excellent scores from either wing into the wind to put the champions in a commanding position before Culhane came on to get Salthill-Knocknacarra up and running.

Salthill-Knocknacarra introduced injured captain Daniel O’Flaherty at the break and with Michael Kitt and Maher dominating midfield and Thompson taking the game to the champions, they extended their lead with three points to one from Maigh Cuilinn interval substitute Owen Gallagher.

Remarkably, the Galway championship’s top scorer Rob Finnerty, who came into the final with a haul of 5-28, failed to score with Eoghan Kelly keeping close tabs on him but the All Star nominee delivered the ball which his brother Colm palmed to the net to put them 1-9 to 0-5 in front.

Former Antrim and Galway player Gallagher and ex-Leitrim player Niall Walsh did most to revive the Maigh Cuilinn challenge, with a two-pointer from Conneely keeping them in touch.

But they still trailed by six points after 48 minutes before Gallagher landed a two-pointer and another point. Then he crashed a shot off the crossbar and Paul Kelly drilled home the equalising goal four minutes from time at 1-12 apiece.

Maigh Cuilinn thought they had won their fourth title when Cooke landed his superb two-pointer but there was still time for Culhane, who was off target with a couple of frees when they lost the final last year, to secure the crown with his last gasp goal.

Scorers for Salthill-Knocknacarra: T Culhane (1-6, 2 2pt, 2f), C Finnerty (1-1), M Thompson (0-2), M Mannion, P Kitt, D O’Flaherty (0-1 each).

Scorers for Maigh Cuilinn: D Conneely (0-6, 1 2pt, 2f), N Walsh (0-5, 1 2pt), P Kelly (1-0), P Cooke (0-2,1 2pt), O Gallagher (0-1).

Salthill-Knocknacarra: R Lavelle; D Conneely, D Kiely, E Wynne; P Kitt, M Mannion, A Mannion; J Maher, M Kitt; C Sweeney, M Thompson, M Mullery; C Finnerty, R Finnerty, R Waltzer.

Subs: C O’Toole for P Kitt (16-21 blood), T Culhane for Walzer (21), D O’Flaherty for A Mannion (half-time); O’Toole for; D Hoare for Sweeney (51), M Culhane for M Kitt (60).

Maigh Cuilinn: N O’Donnell; C Corcoran, E Kelly, M Hynes; A Claffey, S Kelly, S O’Connor; P Kelly, G Davoren; J Moloney, N Walsh, P Cooke; Fionn McDonagh, Fiachra McDonagh, Dessie Conneely.

Subs: O Gallagher for Fiachra McDonagh (half-time), J McLaughlin for Moloney (39), Fiachra McDonagh for Fionn McDonagh (50).

Referee: Shane Curley (Glinsk).