Salthill are the team of 2012 — and the future

By JIM CARNEY Salthill-Knocknacarra 0-12 Tuam Stars 0-7 A NEW ERA dawned for Galway club football when Salthill-Knocknacarra won the County Senior Championship final against Tuam Stars at Pearse Stadium on Sunday. In recent weeks, the seaside club has also been victorious at U-16, U-14 and U-13 levels, and they retained their West Board Minor Championship title before losing the County final to Corofin; this was the curtain-raiser to last Sunday's senior final. It all means there is a reservoir of youthful talent in the Salthill-Knocknacarra catchment area, with a population estimated to be close to 15,000. And although vying with Salthill Devon F.C. for the commitment and loyalty of young sports people, the G.A.A. club is a leader in terms of organisation, efficiency and sound structures, catering for Gaelic football, hurling, camogie and ladies football; and handball in a separately run club. Salthill-Knocknacarra G.A.A. Club is financially well supported too, so its future looks secure. It's impossible to know why this is only their third County S.F.C. title in the last two decades, and they very surprisingly failed to capitalise on their All-Ireland Club Championship final victory over Antrim and Ulster champions Naomh Gall on St Patrick's Day 2006. Perhaps the renowned will-to-win of County Championship specialists Corofin and Killererin was too much for Salthill-Knocknacarra after the seasiders' two Frank Fox Cup victories in 1990 and 2005 but there's no way they'll have to endure such long waiting periods in the next seven-to-22 years. The field of major contenders is getting smaller by the year. Tuam Stars, now without a Senior Championship title since 1994, are likely to be Salthill's main rivals again next year. For despite the crushing disappointment felt by all Tuam people on Sunday evening, inside and outside the club, and despite their team's surprisingly flat performance â€â€ even allowing for a miserable wet day â€â€ this is the group of players who defeated Killanin, Mountbellew-Moylough, Milltown and last year's champions Corofin on their road to this final. There's every chance they'll be good enough to go a long way again if they stay motivated, determined and well organised. Similar to Salthill, Tuam Stars are one of the best-run clubs in the county with superb facilities, excellent leadership from their club officers and committee, and a large number of people putting in huge work behind the scenes. Losing a county final, especially at senior level, is a massive setback and very, very hurtful but time is always a great healer and a year goes by quickly. Tuam Stars may be down this week but they're not out; they've been rocked by a painful blow but they'll fire themselves off the ropes and into the ring again, just as they did after losing last year's final, and then the process will start all over again. In the bigger picture, it's the other clubs in the County S.F.C., all those who didn't make it to the last two, who have much more to worry about. After Salthill-Knocknacarra and Tuam Stars, St James's, Mountbellew-Moylough and Cortoon Shamrocks come next, in that order â€â€ in my opinion â€â€ and I believe that only those five clubs can feel they're really good enough to be considered contenders for the 2013 title. Final five points without reply Salthill-Knocknacarra finished Sunday's final convincingly, winning by five points from level pegging at seven points apiece with just over ten minutes left to play. Tuam Stars had no more to give in the closing stages; it was a damage limitation exercise for them as Séamie Crowe pointed from play for Salthill in the 20th minute and Seán Armstrong clinched the Man of the Match award with a spectacular point from play followed by a 45-metre free to make it 10-7. Then came the 'insurance' point from Séamie Crowe, 11-7, and in injury-time Armstrong sealed the victory with another point from play. It was all about Armstrong and Crowe in the final quarter â€â€ as predicted here last week, when we warned that Tuam could not hope to win without keeping the two Salthill-Knocknacarra scoring aces on a tight rein. That didn't happen. Finian Hanley captained the winners with authority and two other defenders were outstanding: Cian Begley and Derek O'Flaherty. The midfield battle â€â€ as far as both teams were concerned â€â€ was all about commitment and hard work, and in that regard all involved, on both sides, deserve the highest praise, especially with the bad weather taken into account. But that was as good as it got for Tuam â€â€ the best forwards were on the winning team, with Alan Kerins very influential in general play and Conor Healy also very well used in a specific role that opened up space for Armstrong and Crowe. It was significant that the winners had strength-in-depth in their panel. Midfielder John Boylan, on Army duty abroad, was replaced by a very experienced former Roscommon county footballer, Gary Cox, and when the first change was made in defence the man introduced was Ruaidhrí McTiernan who excelled in the County, Connacht and All-Ireland winning team of 2005-06. Shane Curtin's brilliant first-half display for Tuam Stars was the individual hightlight of their day. Not only his three superbly kicked frees from far out, but a magnificent point from play too, and in his general play he was looking for the ball and relishing being involved in a leading role. It wasn't as easy for him in the second half, against the wind and with the opposition more effective although it took them a long time to transfer their superiority onto the scoreboard. Gary O'Donnell tried very hard to keep the Tuam defence together but the threat posed by his county team-mate Seán Armstrong kept him fully occupied and limited his potential to be a leader. Ian McGough was brave and defiant for Tuam at full-back and made the best solo run of the hour, a dynamic burst upfield in the 19th minute of the second half that created a Jamie Murphy point which, unfortunately for the Stars, was their final score of the game. Donal Marley's first-half point for Tuam, from play, was also a great score and with the sides level at the interval, five points apiece, it was all to play for. Salthill-Knocknacarra had the wind at their backs in the second half but they still needed a goal miss by Tuam sub Shane Gaffney, six minutes after the resumption, to keep their favourites' tag. Plus the heroics of their goalkeeper 13 minutes later, bravely getting his hands to Jamie Murphy's goalbound drive â€â€ it was a powerful effort by the Tuam man and well done to the winners' goalkeeper Cormac Connolly for his superb reaction to it. In the final analysis, there was no doubt about the merit of the seasiders' victory on a day when honours were shared north and west! Corofin had a brilliant win in the Minor Championship final, for which the players and team management can feel hugely proud of the performance, full of skill, commitment, club pride and outstanding personal character. Salthill-Knocknacarra minors, although relinquishing the title their club won last year against the same opposition, are also very talented. Full marks to both sides for a really well contested M.F.C. final on Sunday. In the Connacht Senior Football Club Championship, Salthill will play Leitrim champions Melvin Gaels or Roscommon champions St Brigid's, on Sunday November 11th. Salthill-Knocknacarra: C. Connolly; C. Begley, F. Hanley, captain, C. Halloran; K. Conlon, G. Canavan, D. O'Flaherty; D. Tierney, C. Healy; A. Kerins, S. Armstrong (0-7, five frees), T. Burke (0-1); G. Cox, S. Crowe (0-3, two frees), B. Conlon (0-1). Subs., R. McTiernan, for K. Conlon, 39 mins; S. Gavin, for Canavan, 52 mins; B. Malone, for Burke, 60 mins; E. O'Mahoney, for Crowe, 60 mins. Tuam Stars: J. Trayers; D. O'Rourke, I. McGough, A. Tierney; T. Costello, captain, G. O'Donnell, D. Marley (0-1); D. Connern, P. Doherty; S. Curtin (0-4, three frees), C. Doherty, N. Quinn; J. Murphy (0-1), N. Henry, J. R. Bodkin (0-1). Subs., S. Gaffney, for N. Quinn, half-time; P. Collins, for N. Henry, 47 mins; B. Devaney, for P. Doherty, 56 mins. Referee: Brendan Kinneavy. Herald Sport Man of the Match: Seán Armstrong (Salthill-Knocknacarra).