Cooke saves the day

Moycullen 1-12

Salthill/Knocknacarra 2-9

As the clock ticked into the 65th minute of this West Board minor A final, Moycullen trailed Salthill/Knocknacarra by a single point. Moycullen were awarded a free and Peter Cooke stood with the ball in his hands 45m out from goal and with his feet touching the white paint of the right-hand sideline.

With the knowledge that this was his side’s last chance to snatch a draw, Cooke took his sights and kicked what will always be known as a ‘Maurice Fitzgerald point’. With the outside of his right boot, Cooke controlled his effort to perfection, splitting the Salthill/Knocknacarra uprights. In the circumstances, with time elapsed and in front of the stand, it was an incredible show of nerve.

In a game where the margin between the sides was never more than three points, a draw was a fair result. Both sides wasted early goal chances but Moycullen settled quickest as they powered into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead after eight minutes. Dessie Conneely got the game’s opening score after just 40 seconds before points from Lairgnean McDermott and Peter Cooke gave them an early cushion.

A goal always looked likely in the early stages of the game, however, and it was Salthill/Knocknacarra who claimed the first in the 12th minute. Lorcan Breen made a good run up the left wing before shooting from 35m out. His effort came back off the upright but Robert Finnerty’s alertness was rewarded when he picked up the rebound in space and was able to level the scores, 0-3 to 1-0 with a well-taken goal.

Moycullen had to wait just two minutes before they raised a green flag of their own with Peter Cooke and Sean Kelly combining nicely to set up Dessie Conneely, who fired past David Sheedy in the Salthill/Knocknacarra goal. The city side responded well though and had pulled back level by the 20th minute. Lorcan Breen finished another surging run with a point before two points from Robert Finnerty tied the score, 1-3 apiece.

Another Peter Cooke free edged Moycullen in front but it was their opponents who finished the half much stronger. Midfielder Eamonn Conroy caught a Moycullen kickout and advanced 30m before raising a white flag with an improvised finish off his right foot. Marcus Mac Donncha then worked hard to set up Robert Finnerty for a point before another score from Finnerty, his fifth of the opening period, left the half time scoresat 1-6 to 1-4 in favour of Salthill.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.