Resurgent Mountbellew-Moylough land knockout blow to Tuam

Mulhern, Finnerty and Daly star for 2021 champions

Mountbellew-Moylough 0-20

Tuam Stars 0-13

SUNDAY’S preliminary quarter-final was Mountbellew-Moylough’s most significant championship win in a few seasons.

Mountbellew-Moylough have had to deal with injuries and absences to key players since they made the semi-finals of the competition in ’23, while Tuam Stars have been close to beating Maigh Cuilinn in the last four in each of the past two seasons.

Tuam Stars came into the most prestigious tie of the weekend as favourites, but it was Mountbellew-Moylough who dictated the terms of engagement, particularly in the second half playing into the town end.

Damien McHugh’s side finished the game with a clutch of the experienced heads who led the club to the 2021 County title to the fore and on the field together. Eoin Finnerty, Barry McHugh and Leo Donnellan all made big plays in the closing stages, as Ciarán Mulhern – one of the younger brigade – put the exclamation mark on the win with the final score.

Michael Daly also made a welcome return to championship football in the second period. Plagued by injury in recent years, the former Galway footballer had two shots at goal during his 25-plus minutes.

Younger brother John continues to be one of the best kick passers of a football in the country and he came onto the play from a central position to pick out a couple of excellent first half balls inside, where Patrick Kelly, Finnerty and McHugh matched up against the Tuam Stars trio of Dara Ó Ruairc, Rory O’Connor and Darragh Cunningham respectively.

In truth, Tuam Stars’ performance was flat. Mountbellew-Moylough’s tails were up going into the changing rooms at half-time, level at 0-8 apiece after Tuam had played with wind advantage.

A couple of two-pointers from John Daly and Finnerty in the third quarter pushed Mountbellew-Moylough into a four-point advantage and Tuam didn’t look like they were going to be able to reel them in.

Shay McGlinchey, Jack Grugan and Gary O’Donnell carried the fight mostly for Tuam Stars. O’Donnell was playing his first minutes of the 2026 championship. Both the former Galway captain and John Daly were harshly booked before the break for an innocuous matter.

O’Donnell avoided a second yellow three minutes into the second period for a foul on Billy Mannion. He was withdrawn minutes later and was a loss to his side.

David Donnellan managed Tuam to a 2024 preliminary quarter-final win over his home club Mountbellew-Moylough, and he saw his side score three two-pointers in the first half on Sunday. Grugan, tracked by Billy Mannion, hit the first of the game’s seven two-point efforts after 46 seconds of play.

Mountbellew-Moylough were missing James Foley but would have been pleased by how they responded to that early score. Barry McHugh is the best placekicker in Galway and he nailed a free from outside the arc to get his team off the mark.

A couple of points from Finnerty and another from Patrick Kelly had Mountbellew-Moylough 0-5 to 0-3 ahead after 12 minutes, only for McGlinchey to tie the game with a booming two-pointer.

Colm Mannion, another member of the 2021 County title winning panel, replaced the injured Tony Shields, who had been tagging Jamie Murphy, in minute 14 and moments later Mountbellew-Moylough were presented with an opportunity to take a firm grip on proceedings.

Michael Burke, who is also going well for the Skehana-Mountbellew-Moylough hurlers, covered much ground and mopped up a couple of breaking balls in the first half. One restart possession won by the Galway U-20 hurler ended with Sean Kelly being fouled for a penalty. Finnerty’s spot kick clipped the post on its way wide - one of only three registered by Mountbellew-Moylough.

The teams exchanged three points each in the half thereafter. Grugan and a Gary O’Donnell two-pointer accounted for Tuam’s scores. Mulhern, McHugh (free) and a third from Finnerty rounded off Mountbellew-Moylough’s tally.

The second half was an example in measured, controlled play by Mountbellew-Moylough. They made use of the elements to shoot three two-pointers, using the likes of Mulhern to run the ball when required, and held Tuam off in defence where Brian Noone and Colin Murray made interventions.

A McHugh free and a John Daly two-pointer put them three in front by minute 41. Tuam got second half points from McGlinchey, a couple of Luke Davin frees, Brian Mannion and Dara Heneghan. A rousing score, whether a two-pointer or goal, didn’t materialise.

Two more orange flags from Finnerty and McHugh (free) put Mountbellew-Moylough in the ascendancy and they led 0-17 to 0-13 coming towards injury time.

McHugh and Leo Donnellan caught kickouts in the closing minutes, and while Colin Ryan had a goal chance saved by Tuam ‘keeper Darragh Creaven, McHugh, Burke and Mulhern pointed in injury-time as Finnerty set up the final two.

Maigh Cuilinn defeated Mountbellew-Moylough in that ’23 semi-final. The reigning champions will be obvious favourites going into their last eight fixture, but it’s a challenge Mountbellew-Moylough will naturally relish.

MOUNTBELLEW-MOYLOUGH: M. Foley; C. Murray, B. Mannion, B. Noone; M. Burke (0-1), T. Shields, J. Daly (captain, 0-2, 0-2 score); S. Kelly, M. Barrett; C. Ryan, C. Mulhern (0-3), L. Donnellan; P. Kelly (0-1), E. Finnerty (0-5, one 0-2 score), B. McHugh (0-8, two 0-2 frees, 0-3 frees). Subs: C. Mannion, for Shields inj., 14 mins; M. Daly, for Barrett, 39 mins; O. O’Reilly, for P. Kelly, 53 mins; F. Colleran, for S. Kelly, 59 mins.

TUAM STARS: D. Creaven; D. Cunningham, R. O’Connor, D. Ó Ruairc; G. O’Donnell (0-3, one 0-2 score), D. Heneghan (0-1), C. Doherty; S. McGlinchey (0-3, one 0-2 score), C. Heneghan; J. Cryan, J. Murphy, C. Rhatigan (captain); B. Mannion (0-1), J. Grugan (0-3, one 0-2 score), L. Davin (0-2, 0-2 frees). Subs: M. Colleran, for Rhatigan, 36 mins; C. Mitchell, for O’Donnell, 36 mins; R. Colleran, for Doherty, 44 mins; J. Heneghan, for Murphy, 54 mins.

REFEREE: Christopher Ryan.

HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH:

Ciarán Mulhern (Mountbellew-Moylough).