The Mayo News

Future still very bright


Reaction
Mike Finnerty

AS Pat Comer, the former Galway footballer and current documentary-maker, discussed the significance of Leitir Mór’s achievement in winning last Sunday’s Connacht Intermediate club title, Martin Connolly was listening intently.
The Naomh Anna coach was reflecting on a famous day in the history of the Connemara club while Westport’s manager was processing his emotions after losing an epic battle by just one point after extra time.
“We’re disappointed,” he nodded, “but it would have been worse if we hadn’t played well and lost. Today, we played well and lost. A lot of fellas played up to, and close to, their potential out there. When that happens you can’t ask for much more from people.
“The difference was that we had that many more wides. Nobody went out there to kick the ball wide. Fellas got the ball in good positions but just pushed their shots a bit. The day that those things happen you don’t win, and the day they go over the black spot is the day you do win.”
Ironically, one of Leitir Mór’s fourteen points didn’t go over the black spot, or between the posts for that matter. A first half score chalked down to the one-man band that was Patrick Mark Ó Fatharta seemed to have been wide of the target.
Martin Connolly acknowledged that “it looked wide” but put it down to “luck”. However, he admitted that he didn’t expect the Galway champions to clock up their winning tally.
“I was surprised with the high score they put up,” he said. “Defensively, we’ve been pretty good all year and I’d be disappointed that we conceded 2-14, even allowing for extra-time. Normally, we’ve been keeping the opposition to ten points but, today, their eye was in. Their corner-forward [Patrick Mark Ó Fatharta] scored 1-8, an unreal total. That would win a lot of matches on its own.”
Only a matter of seconds, and inches, separated Westport from a victory that would have been the perfect end to an historic season. They were a point up deep in stoppage time at the end of normal time and, in the dying moments of extra time, only a goal-line clearance denied the Mayo champions a match-winning goal. It’s easy to see why their manager is being philosophical.
“It was a fantastic team effort,” explained Martin Connolly. “As a manager, when players go out and put their bodies on the line, you can’t ask for anything more. They gave everything they had in the tank out there. They got in the tackles, won the ball, and battled right to the end.
“When Leitir Mór went two points up with two minutes of injury-time played, we still managed to score a goal. But, fair play to them, they managed to win the next kick-out and get the equaliser. That was probably the score that made the difference. When you’re a point up, three minutes into injury-time, you’d be hoping to hang on. It was a very good score by their corner-forward.
“We dominated the first period of extra-time but we didn’t kick the scores. We kept them in the game,” he mused.
And as his players packed their gear-bags for the last time this year, Connolly had a message for them, their supporters, and the club. “Winning the county title was our objective and anything after that is a bonus,” he said. “There’s still an awful lot to be happy with, and we have fellas like David Horan and James Gill to come back into the frame for next year. We’ll be back.”

---

Share this page