Historic day for St Michael’s

St Michael’s broke new ground and earned their place in history by becoming the first ever team from the city club to reach a county senior football championship final.

It was a tough slog, and they made very hard work of it, but St Michael’s thoroughly deserved their 0-9 to 0-7 victory over Barna in the semi-final replay at Moycullen on Sunday.

It was a dour, low-scoring game, marked by jittery mistakes from both sides, but that matters not to the winners whose attentions must turn quickly to toppling Corofin in the decider at Tuam Stadium this coming Sunday, at 4pm.

Beating Barna is one thing . . . pulling off a shock win against champs Corofin, the roasting hot favourites to retain their crown, is quite another and would rank up there as probably the biggest ever upsets in club football in Galway.

St Michael’s will need to radically improve to force such a seismic shift in the landscape and pecking order in the county: Sunday’s decider really is David versus Goliath, newcomers versus seasoned finalists who have won 15 titles, including a dozen since 1991.

But John Kenny and his management team – John Ruane, Joe Corcoran, Paddy Madden and Barry Commins – will worry about slaying the North Galway giant later on this week.

Sunday was all about enjoying the moment; about enjoying having rewritten the record books by reaching the final, which is a massive honour for the club, founded in 1956.

The Bushypark, Newcastle and Westside outfit led from pillar to post in Moycullen apart from a brief moment when Barna drew level in the opening half.

St Michael’s had one or two more quality players than Barna, and crucially, they performed when they were needed most.

There is certainly improvement in St Michael’s. They kicked eight wides and scuffed several other scoring chances by taking too much out of the ball or dropping shots short; and midfield was not as dominant as the drawn game, while the kick-out strategy must also improve.

St Michael’s, though, need no reminding that they’ll need vast improvement to make a mark in their maiden voyage into senior county final day against the cream of the crop, Corofin.

In the earlier game at Tuam Stadium on Sunday, Salthill/Knocknacarra face Mountbellew/Moylough in the county minor ‘A’ final.