Sligo SFC Final

Tourlestrane 0-15 St Mary's 0-13 AET

By Liam Maloney at Markievicz Park

Tourlestrane held on for a stunning seventh Sligo Senior Football Championship title in-a-row but they needed extra-time to overcome a dogged St Mary’s in an encounter that eventually became a thriller at Markievicz Park.

The south Sligo side dragged themselves into extra-time with late points from Cathal Henry and Oisin Kennedy, whose equaliser made it 0-11 each.

In extra-time the holders showed their mettle to outscore St Mary’s 0-4 to 0-2 and so keep the Owen B Hunt Cup in south Sligo for another 12 months.

Tourlestrane were looking to maintain a remarkable unbeaten record in the championship, 41 games without defeat – a sequence that stretched back to the 2015 county semi-final replay when they lost to St Mary’s.

Not only were St Mary’s the last club to beat Tourlestrane in the championship, they were the last club to win the Owen B Hunt Cup – taking the crown in 2015 – before Tourlestrane’s current dominance began the following year.

Tourlestrane welcomed back team captain Gary Gaughan, who came off with an injury in his side’s county semi-final victory over Shamrock Gaels.

Sligo senior player Paul Kilcoyne started for St Mary’s, having overcome an arm injury with on duty for Naomh Eoin in the Sligo SHC semi-final.

What proved a tense first-half, one that produced 13 scores, with St Mary’s leading 0-7 to 0-6 at the break, saw St Mary’s dominate much of the exchanges – winning a lot of ball in midfield and enjoying the greater share of possession.

By the 12th minute the Sligo town side were 0-4 to 0-2 in front, thanks to a series of long-range scores, including excellent points by Stephen Coen, Ryan Feehily and Michael Munnelly.

Tourlestrane, who never led in the opening half, relied on Liam Gaughan for half of their first-half tally.

John Kelly kicked a fine point to level matters in the 17th minute, making it 0-4 apiece.

The remainder of the opening half was tit-for-tat. St Mary’s edged ahead but were unable to build up a lead greater than a point. Their top scorer in the first-half was Nathan Rooney, who converted four frees.

The second-half continued to be closely-fought. St Mary’s, for whom Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch was in outstanding form, continued to carry the most attacking intent and Nathan Rooney’s accuracy brought him another three pointed frees.

But St Mary’s needed a goal – the closest they got was a shot from Scott Lynch that was saved by Tourlestrane goalkeeper Adam Broe – and they never led by more than two points in the second-half of normal time.

Tourlestrane were two points down, 0-11 to 0-9, and landed points in stoppage time from Cathal Henry and Oisin Kennedy to force extra-time.

Having got out of jail, the champions rediscovered their momentum in the first period of extra-time and went ahead for the first time through points from Stephen Henry and Cathal Henry.

They extended their lead in the second period of extra-time with points from James Leonard and Liam Gaughan – who was later named Player of the Match – although St Mary’s, subdued in extra-time, kept in touch with scores by Nathan Rooney and Jay Cox.

Scorers for Tourlestrane: Liam Gaughan 0-5 (3fs, 1m), Cathal Henry 0-4 (3fs, 145), Oisin Kennedy 0-2, Conan Marren, James Leonard, John Kelly, and Stephen Henry (m) 0-1 each.

Scorers for St Mary's: Nathan Rooney 0-8 (8fs), Stephen Coen 0-2 (1m), Ryan Feehily, Michael Munnelly, and Jay Cox 0-1 each.

Tourlestrane: Adam Broe, John Paul Lang, John Francis Carr, Barry Walsh, Oisin Kennedy, Adrian McIntyre, Noel Gaughan, Feidhlim O’Donnell, Conan Marren, Kenny Gavigan, Cathal Henry, James Leonard, Liam Gaughan, John Kelly, Gary Gaughan (c)

Subs : Kevin O’Hara for JP Lang, 41; Cian Surlis for James Leonard, 54 (‘blood’ sub); Stephen Henry for Barry Walsh, 60+2; Cian Surlis for Oisin Kennedy, 74.

St Mary’s: Jack Teape, Ryan Feehily, David Phillips, Fionn O’Hehir, Patrick Maher, Paul Kilcoyne, Ryan Madden, Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, Tony O’Kelly-Lynch, Michael Munnelly, Emlyn Mulligan, Scott Lynch, Stephen Coen, Nathan Rooney (c), Jay Cox.

Subs : David McGovern for Jay Cox, h-t; Eamonn Flynn for David McGovern, 58; Luke Nicholson for Fionn O’Hehir, 59; Johnny Martyn for Tony O’Kelly-Lynch, 64; Stephen Henry for Michael Munnelly, 70; Conor Darcy for Ryan Feehily, 70; Jay Cox for Ryan Madden, 76

Referee: John Gilmartin (Curry).