Annaghdown men mix the good with the bad

Annaghdown 1-15

Micheál Breathnach 1-11

ANNAGHDOWN retained senior status for 2021 after overcoming the challenge of Micheál Breathnach in the final round of the group stages and finishing third in Group 2 of the Galway senior football championship.

They made heavy work of it, and at times drifted through this entertaining encounter at The Prairie in Salthill on Friday evening, but ultimately held their nerve despite a spirited effort from the Connemara outfit.

Without wishing to be overly simplistic, a short synopsis shows two things swung this in the winners’ favour: the brilliance of Damien Comer, and a red card for Pádraig Ó Finneadha.

Taking the latter first, Comer finished the day with 1-6 to his name, and while five of the points were from dead-balls, the influence he had on general proceedings was immense.

Dinny Ó hÉallaithe is well-known for his man-marking abilities and in fairness, he was solid enough for long stretches of the hour, but when Comer turns it on, in a flash he can turn a game.

Like in the fourth minute of the second half, when the Galway star, seemingly out of nothing buried an unstoppable shot to the net past Rónán Ó Beóláin. That came two minutes after Micheál Breathnachs were reduced to 14-men – a double whammy.

Ó Finneadha had already spent 10 minutes in the sin bin early in the first half for a late challenge or body check on Comer, so when he was penalised for a yellow card offence at the start of the second half, the midfielder was shown the line.

Though Annaghdown were awarded two black cards, to Micheál Breathnach’s one, theirs came so late in the game they were inconsequential.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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