Winning start for Salthill against Milltown
Costello's go-ahead goal key for 2025 finalists
Salthill-Knocknacarra 1-13
Milltown 1-7
THEY trailed by three points early in the second half and were far from their fluid best, but 2025 runners-up Salthill-Knocknacarra effected a third quarter turnaround to take total control against Milltown in the opening fixture of Galway Senior Football Championship Group 2 at Tuam Stadium on Friday evening.
Though manager Finian Hanley could call on his 2024 All-Star duo of John Maher and Rob Finnerty, their list of unavailable frontline stars was lengthy and headed up by Cathal Sweeney, Charlie Power, Tomo Culhane and Matthew Thompson.
Yet, they were decisive winners and leaned on an impressive defensive effort where Dara Conneely, Damien Kiely and Evan Wynne formed a defiant full-back line.
Salthill-Knocknacarra never trailed once half-time substitute Sean Costello neatly tucked away a go-ahead goal in the 35th minute. 1-5 to 0-5 in arrears just after the restart, they stitched together a run of 1-3 without reply to turn the tables with points coming from Aaron Mannion, Robert Walzer and Michael Kitt.
Milltown struggled in the second shooting into the scoreboard end. They pulled a point back through Dara Costello - who along with Andrew Kekoe made his championship debut - but Salthill-Knocknacarra's returning ‘keeper Ruairí Lavelle floated over a dead ball from two-point country as the margin stretched to 1-10 to 1-7 on the three-quarter mark.
A Mike Martin tap-over free, after Salthill-Knocknacarra were penalised for not handing the ball back, brought Milltown’s only score of the closing 25 minutes while they had captain Niall Costello stretchered off late on.
The winners were full of running and John Maher, a terrific individual effort from Mark Mannion, and U-19 forward Costello rounded off a dominant second half and six-point victory.
Milltown never trailed in the first half and their best move brought an eighth minute goal as Liam Costello hung up an inviting pass that Terence Godwin, one of his team’s best performers, beat Lavelle to palm to the net.
Jack Kirrane and his defensive colleagues gave Rob Finnerty very little latitude in the evening's headline duel, but the Galway forward still contributed hugely when drilling over a superb two-point free off the outside of his left boot after Milltown were penalised for a breach.
Conor Nolan saved from point-blank range from Salthill's Rob Walzer in the early going, but with points coming from James O’Meara and captain Daniel O’Flaherty, it was all square at 1-2 to 0-5 on 22 minutes.
Niall Costello's driving run and finish plus a second point of the half from the lively Eoin Mannion left it 1-4 to 0-5 in Milltown’s favour at the break. They were unable to sustain it, though, as Salthill-Knocknacarra made their move in the second half.
SALTHILL-KNOCKNACARRA: R. Lavelle (0-2, 0-2 free); D. Conneely, E. Wynne, D. Kiely; P. Kitt, A. Mannion (0-1), C. O’Toole; M. Kitt (0-1), N. Hanahoe; J. O’Meara (0-1), J. Maher (0-1), D. O’Flaherty (captain, 0-1); R. Finnerty (0-3, one 0-2 free, 0-1 free), C. Finnerty, R. Walzer (0-1, free). Subs: M. Mannion (0-1), for P. Kitt, half-time; S. Costello (1-1), for O’Meara, half-time; M. Mullery, for O’Toole, 41 mins; J. Power, for M. Kitt, 51 mins; B. Conlon, for O’Flaherty, 58 mins.
MILLTOWN: C. Nolan; J. Hynes, P. Godwin, J. Kirrane; S. Feerick, S. Blake, A. Kehoe; T. Godwin (1-0), C. Brennan; N. Costello (captain, 0-1), Cathal Blake, L. Costello; M. Martin (0-2, 0-2 frees), E. Mannion (0-3, 0-1 free), D. Costello (0-1). Subs: K. Mannion, for Feerick, 49 mins; M. Hehir, for N. Costello inj, 59 mins; E. Larney, for C. Blake, 60+6 mins.
REFEREE: Shane Curley.
HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH:
Evan Wynne (Salthill-Knocknacarra).