St Molaise Gaels 1-6, Coolera-Strandhill 0-9
St Molaise Gaels and Coolera-Strandhill will have to do it all again in the Sligo Senior Football Championship decider as matters ended all square at Markievicz Park.
Ross Doherty landed the equalising point for holders Coolera-Strandhill, who recovered from the concession of a goal early in the second-half when Jack Davitt goaled for St Molaise Gaels.
There was a controversial finish St Molaise Gaels were awarded a free in stoppage time. Instead of going for a direct score, Alan McLoughlin passed to Joseph Keaney, who found the target for what looked like was the winning score - but referee Michael Duffy's final whistle had already blown as McLoughlin set up Keaney.
Coolera-Strandhill were aiming for a second successive title and only the fourth in the club’s history.
St Molaise Gaels, who lost to Coolera-Strandhill by three points in last year’s final, were seeking a first-ever Owen B Hunt Cup success.
In the constant rain it was St Molaise Gaels that struck first when Aaron Currid pointed after 58 seconds.
St Molaise Gaels would add another early score through Alan McLoughlin, their talisman, top scorer and team captain, but Coolera-Strandhill then settled and began to dominate possession and get their star forward, Niall Murphy, involved.
With 16 minutes gone Coolera-Strandhill were 0-04 to 0-02 to the good - Niall Murphy supplied all four of these points. He landed three frees and kicked a sublime effort from play.
But Coolera-Strandhill would only score once more during the remainder of that first-half - a Mark McDaniel effort - as St Molaise Gaels found a way back through points from Jamie McLoughlin and Alan McLoughlin.
Level at half-time, 0-5 to 0-5, it could have been better for St Molaise Gaels but the crossbar denied a goal effort from Oisin Gilmartin and they also lost county player Luke Towey to injury.
St Molaise Gaels made a brilliant start to the second-half when Jack Davitt goaled with a sparkling finish from a Gerard Brady pass.
Coolera-Strandhill captain Peter Laffey kicked a good point to take the sting out of the concession of this goal.
St Molaise Gaels went back in front by three, 1-06 to 0-06, with 40 minutes on the clock when Alan McLoughlin scored a free.
Remarkably that was the last score for St Molaise Gaels as Coolera-Strandhill clawed their way back by shooting three points without reply over the next 20 minutes,
There were excellent points from play by Keelan Cawley and Ross Doherty, with the latter’s effort making it all square, and in between these scores there was a fifth point of the day from Niall Murphy, who also kicked 0-5 in last year’s final.
It looked as if that would be that, with both sides missing chances and St Molaise Gaels denied by the full-time whistle.
Coolera-Strandhill: Keelan Harte, Sean Murphy, Sean Taylor, Conor McDonagh, Jonathan Cassidy, Ross O’Carroll, Oran Harte, Kevin Banks, Peter Laffey (capt, 0-01), Keelan Cawley (0-01), Mark McDaniel (0-01), Ross Doherty (0-01), Luke Bree, Niall Murphy (0-05, 4f), Conor Burke.
Subs: Adam Higgins for Luke Bree, 44; Leo Doherty for Conor Burke, 44; Barry O’Mahony for Jonathan Cassidy 50.
St Molaise Gaels: Niall McLoughlin, Liam Kennedy, Luke Casserly, Robbie Ryan, Luke Towey, Evan Farrell, Jamie McLoughlin (0-01), Joseph Keaney, Alan McLoughlin (capt, 0-04f), Keelan Waters, Jack Davitt (1-00), Oisin Gilmartin, Aaron Currid (0-01), Gerard Brady, Cathal Herron.
Subs: Paddy McGowan for Luke Towey, 23; Michael Langan for Oisin Gilmartin 49, Eoin McHugh for Aaron Currid 56, Marc Heraghty for Keelan Waters 56.
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