AIB Connacht Club SFC: Finnerty inspires Salthill-Knocknacarra

AIB Connacht Club SFC Quarter-Final

Salthill Knocknacarra 3-16 Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins 2-15

By PJ Leddy at Heartland Credit Union Pairc Seán MacDiarmada

Salthill Knocknacarra's Rob Finnerty and Tomó Culhane fired home vital second half goals for their in the Connacht Club quarter-final at foggy Carrick-on-Shannon.

Ballinamore, who had Paul Honeyman dismissed on a 54th minute second yellow offence, drew first blood when Tom Prior fired over in the opening minute, but it was even pegging two minutes later when Salthill Knocknacarra's Cathal Sweeney split the Ballinamore uprights.

A Paul Honeyman two pointer put Ballinamore back in front again on the four minute mark, while two minutes later a similar Tomó Culhane score levelled matters once more for the Galway side.

Salthill Knocknacarra took the lead for the first time when Cillian O'Toole fired over a ninth minute point. Over the next six minutes Salthill Knocknacarra stretched their lead with Dara Conneely splitting the Ballinamore posts and Tomó Cullinane hit a two pointer from a placed ball.

A 19th minute Ballinamore goal by Dillon Beirne reduced the Galway side's advantage to the minimum. Salthill Knocknacarra's Rob Finnerty found the Ballinamore net five minutes later and sent his side in leading by 1-9 to 1-6 at the break.

After the restart Ballinamore levelled matters for a third time in the game by the 33rd minute mark thanks to a Paul Honeyman free conversion and a Shane Moran two pointer. Over the next six minutes Salthill Knocknacarra upped their game and grabbed a seven point's advantage thanks to a Rob Finnerty goal and free, as well as a Mathew Thompson two pointer and a point from Cathal Sweeney.

Balinamore reduced the deficit to four points as the end of the third quarter approached with two Paul Honeyman points and a point from Tom Prior. Points after that in reply by Rob Finnerty and Cathal Sweeney kept Salthill Knocknacarra in the driving seat.

However, Ballinamore managed to close the gap on Salthill Knocknacarra to just two points on the 53 minute mark with Niall McGovern hitting over from a mark and Tom Prior blasting to the net.

Four minutes later Tomó Cullinane rifled home Salthill Knocknacarra's third goal. Before the end Ballinamore replied with points apiece by Donal Feely and Tom Prior.

Scorers for Salthill Knocknacarra: Robert Finnerty 2-2 (2fs), Tomó Cullinane 1-4 (2pt, 2ptf), Cathal Sweeney 0-4, Mathew Thompson 0-3 (1 2pt), Cillian O'Toole, Dara Conneely, and Evan Wynne 0-1 each.

Scorers for Ballinamore: Tom Prior 1-3, Paul Honeyman 0-5 (1 2pt, 1 2ptf), Dillon Beirne 1-0, Paul Moran (2ptf) and Shane Moran (2pt) 0-2 each, Niall McGovern (m) and Donal Feely 0-1 each.

Salthill Knocknacarra: Ruairí Lavelle: Dara Conneely; Damien Kiely, Evan Wynne; Cathal Sweeney, Paddy Kitt, Mark Mannion; John Maher, Michael Kitt; Cillian O'Toole, Mathew Thompson, Mickey Mullery; Colm Finnerty, Robert Finnerty, Tomó Culhane.

Subs: Daniel O' Flaherty for Kitt (HT); Mickey Culhane for M Kitt(41); Niall Hanohoe for C O'Toole (52); Brian Conlon for C Finnerty (58).

Ballinamore SOH: Mark Aherne; Cathal McHugh, Brian Banks, Mathew Murphy; Niall McGovern, Michael McBrien, Keelan McHugh; Shane Moran, Niall McGovern; Michael McKiernan, Tom Prior, Dillon Beirne; Paul Moran, Brian Leyden, Paul Honeyman.

Subs: Wayne Mckeon for Leyden (40); Luke Murphy for Beirne (41); Louis Quinn for McKiernan (55); Donal Feely for D McGovern (55); Conor Moran for Beirne (57).

Referee: Ronan Hynes (Sligo).