Leitir Móir advance after tight struggle in Salthill

Leitir Móir 1-12

Caltra 0-13

A 62nd minute free from Daithí Mac Donnacha put the seal on a two-point victory for Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir over Caltra. It was a tidy and decent game of football, and there was very little difference in terms of quality between the sides, but the old adage that goals win you Gaelic football matches proved true in Pearse Stadium on Sunday evening last.

The game’s sole goal arrived courtesy of Mac Donnacha in the 33rd minute, and it was the crucial score of the game. Caltra had two goal opportunities fall away in the final 10 minutes, and as much as Meehan’s excellent conversion rate kept them chipping away at the deficit, they couldn’t bulge the back of the Leitir Móir net.

Of the 1-25 registered between both teams, 0-17 of that total was scored from placed balls – Leitir Móir 0-8 and Caltra 0-9. Mac Donnacha, Ferdia Breathnach and Cormac Ó Conghaile shared the responsibilities for Leitir Móir, while Brian Laffey hit two and Meehan seven from placed balls. The large number of frees awarded tells us something about how the game was refereed though.

Some of Shane Hehir’s calls seemed harsh on occasions for both sides, and any backchat from the players saw frees being moved forward or the decision overturned. As Tyrone will know this week, talking back to the officials is never beneficial, and a scoreable free 20 yards out from goal given to Caltra in the 37th minute was overturned in favour of a hop ball because of that.

A score for Caltra would have helped stem the momentum Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir had built up by that stage. The winners’ greater physicality around the middle third began to tell in the third quarter as Antoine Toto Ó Gríofa, Eamonn Ó Loinsigh, Padraic Bairéad and Ferdia Breathnach used their size to good effect.  Another factor which aided Leitir Móir’s chances of victory was the absence of Cathal and Padraig Mannion from Caltra’s starting 15.

The duo have the pressing matter of an All-Ireland hurling final to prepare for on Sunday week, but it was heartening all the same to see them on the sideline acting as water carriers for the Caltra team. Both of them are excellent footballers also. Cathal scored 0-4 and Padraig 0-2 against Kilkerrin/Clonberne in the opening round of the championship back in May.

Without them, most of the scoring burden for Caltra fell on the lofty shoulders of one Michael Meehan. He scored 0-9 of Caltra’s final tally, and although Meehan may have lost a yard of pace, his enduring class remains, and a point after four minutes from play perfectly demonstrated just that.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.