AIB Connacht Club SFC: Conneely inspires Maigh Cuilinn to victory

AIB Connacht Senior Club SFC Quarter-Final

MAIGH CUILINN 1-20 SHAMROCK GAELS 1-9

By Billy Coss at Kilcoyne Park, Tubbercurry

Sharp-shooters Dessie Conneely and Fionn McDonagh finished with a combined tally of 1-14 as Maigh Cuilinn accounted for Sligo’s Shamrock Gaels and booked their place in the last four of the AIB Connacht Senior Club Football Championship.

Fresh from capturing their third Galway title this decade, Cathal Clancy’s side proved effective front runners on a day when they never trailed and could absorb the absence of Galway star Peter Cooke.

The towering McDonagh was the star of the opening half, kicking three points and drawing fouls for two of Conneely’s converted frees as Maigh Cuilinn built on a strong start and turned around with a 0-10 to 1-3 advantage.

Niall Walsh sent over a couple of early points and captain David Wynne also broke forward to land a superb effort, while three of Conneely’s four successful kicks arrived from placed balls.

Shane Deignan was the hero for Shamrock Gaels when his two late goals helped dethrone provincial title holders Coolera-Strandhill in their recent Sligo final replay. The inside forward netted again on 15 minutes, finishing first-time past Pierce Greally. However, it was a half that a more clinical Maigh Cuilinn dominated with just three points conceded - all to the Deignans, Lee scoring two and Shane one.

With Galway captain Sean Kelly driving forward regularly from centre-back, and Sean O’Connor and Johnny Moloney both breaking the line to get their names on the scoresheet, Maigh Cuilinn stretched their lead out to 0-14 to 1-5 on 38 minutes.

Sligo champions for the first time in 33 years, Shamrock Gaels enjoyed brief moments of encouragement but were unable to build on a terrific two-pointer from Ciaran Kenny until they hit three scores on the spin through captain David Quinn, Lee Deignan (45) and Kenny again to close to within 0-14 to 1-8 at the three-quarter mark. In a key moment, Dillon McDermott saw his goal chance deflect just wide of the Maigh Cuilinn post during that spell.

But with Ger Davoren taking some fine marks at midfield, Maigh Cuilinn showed their experience to release the pressure value and go on to outscore their opponents by 1-6 to a point from there to the finish.

McDonagh sent over the fourth point of his productive afternoon before Conneely, the top scorer in this year’s Galway championship, rounded a slick move for their 56th minute goal on the way to a personal haul of 1-10.

Eleven points separated the sides by the final whistle as Maigh Cuilinn advanced to a provincial semi-final against Leitrim Gaels at Pearse Stadium next weekend.

Scorers for Maigh Cuilinn: Dessie Conneely 1-10 (7f), Fionn McDonagh 0-4, Niall Walsh 0-2; Sean O’Connor, Johnny Moloney, David Wynne and Paul Kelly 0-1 each.

Scorers for Shamrock Gaels: Lee Deignan 0-4 (1 45), Shane Deignan 1-1, Ciaran Kenny 0-3 (1tp), David Quinn 0-1.

MAIGH CUILINN: Pierce Greally; Aidan Claffey, Mike Moughan, Eoghan Kelly; Sean O'Connor, Sean Kelly, David Wynne (captain); Tom Clarke, Ger Davoren; Johnny Moloney, Niall Walsh, Paul Kelly; Fionn McDonagh, Fiachra McDonagh, Dessie Conneely. Subs: James McLaughlin for Clarke (48), Cillian Gallagher for Fiachra McDonagh (53), Conor Corcoran for Walsh (58), Charlie Cox for Davoren (58), Padraig Faherty for Paul Kelly (60).

SHAMROCK GAELS: Daniel Lyons; Evan Lyons, Oisín Conlon, Karl McKenna; George Barlow, Seán Carroll, Ciaran Kenny; Conor Sheridan, Dillon McDermott; Patrick Kenny, Lee Deignan, Daniel King; David Quinn (captain), Shane Deignan, James Foley.

Subs: David Barlow for George Barlow (16), Niall Kenny for Foley (HT), Luke Flynn for King (57).

REFEREE: Ian Monaghan (Roscommon).