Two late points seal North Board title for Glenamaddy

Glenamaddy 0-11

Athenry 1-6

Mark Walsh at Tuam Stadium

Finals such as these are often decided in the closing passages of play, and two points in added time allowed Glenamaddy to book their place in the County JFC final.

Although Glenamaddy will be having a tilt at a provincial crown regardless of the result in that final – by virtue of the fact that Salthill-Knocknacarra’s first team are a senior outfit – they must win it in order to make a return to Intermediate at the first time of asking.

Typical of so many clubs in rural Ireland, members of the same family had a telling impact on Saturday’s final. Pádraig Geraghty and his older cousin Aidan went toe-to-toe with county midfielder Tom Flynn. Pádraig scored his side’s first point of the second half following a fine individual run, and made the crucial turnover that resulted in Michael Heneghan putting Glenamaddy 0-10 to 1-6 up on Athenry in the second minute of injury time.

Pádraig’s brother, MacDara, then scored the insurance point, when Glenamaddy again profited from a turnover. Pádraig and MacDara’s younger brother Odhran played the full game at wing-back, and their cousin Paul, Aidan’s older brother, was involved in both of Glenamaddy’s added time scores.

Paul Geraghty lined out with both Galway and London at inter-county level in his time, and now part of the Glen’ management team, he threw off his tracksuit and entered the fray in the 58th minute on Saturday. Straight into full-forward, he laid on the final pass for both Heneghan and MacDara’s points.

It could be said that Athenry left the game behind them however. Of 22 scoring chances, they converted just seven. Tom Flynn is many things on a football field, an accomplished fielder of a high ball and able to cover the ground better than most, but a placed-ball taker he most certainly is not. Flynn registered five wides from placed balls, and dropped another two short, but was involved in each of Athenry’s first half scores, a tally of 1-2, all from the boot of Aaron Leggett.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.