Christmas silverware for Tuam Stars

By JIM CARNEY GALWAY Football Board have no choice but to leave two 2011 competitions unfinished at the end of the year. The County Junior (A) League goes to a New Year replay after Milltown and Naomh Pádraig, An Fhairche (Clonbur) finished level at Tuam Stadium last Sunday, even after extra-time, while the North Division 3B final replay, Corofin vs Glinsk, fixed for Glenamaddy last Friday evening, was postponed. On the same evening the John Dunne Memorial Cup final (formerly the Sweeney Oil tournament) was played at Loughgeorge where Tuam Stars defeated An Cheathrú Rua by 0-11 to 0-8. [private] Third time lucky in finals for Tuam, who gave Corofin a huge fright late in the County Championship decider and then lost to Milltown in the League final, so after a long, hard campaign during which the Tuam Stars players and mentors all put their lives on hold and produced huge, honest effort from month to month and at one crucial stage from week to week, there is more silverware to put on the top table at the Club Social on February 4th â€â€ alongside the North Board and County Junior (B) Cups. The John Dunne Cup competition is for teams fielding without county players from the Championship panel, so while Carraroe lost nobody â€â€ Cillín de Paor played in the N.F.L. but did not make Galway's Championship squad â€â€ Tuam couldn't play Gary O'Donnell, who was probably their best player all year. The man closest to him for that rating, in my view, was Noel Henry, one of the outstanding club players in Galway this year, and it was fitting that he should have ended 2011 still on top form. Shane Gaffney, who was shocked to see his late penalty in the County final brilliantly saved by Corofin goalkeeper David Morris, had the misfortune to be sent off on a second yellow card in the second half of Friday night's game, but he had been on the ball and sharp and keen up to that moment, and in the overall context of the game his four points represented a major contribution to the victory. An Cheathrú Rua were near enough if good enough for most of the way. Against the wind in the first half, they fought back from three points down to make it level pegging at the interval, 0-6 apiece. Even when reduced to 14 men, Tuam were always doing enough in the second half to win, although it took good goalkeeping by Jonathan Trayers late on to deny the Gaeltacht club a seemingly certain goal. Tuam Stars: J. Trayers; D. O'Rourke, A. Tierney, E. Kilroy; N. Henry, D. Marley, J. Kearns; D. Connern (0-2), B. Devaney; J. Lawless, J. Murphy (0-1), D. Murray (0-1); D. Kelly (0-2), S. Gaffney (0-4, two frees), G. Cunniffe. Subs used: M Mulkerrins, A. O'Connell, J. Donnellan (0-1, free), P. Collins. An Cheathrú Rua: T. Ó hAilín; I. Seoige, P. R. Ó Maolmhuaidh, S. E. Ó Flatharta; P. Ó Loideáin, G. Ó Conghaile, P. Ó Conghaile; C. Ó Cualáin, C. Ó Loideáin; A. Ó Conghaile (0-1), Cillín de Paor (0-1, one free), A. Ó Cadhain; P. Ó Loideáin (0-2, frees), N. Ó Briain (0-2), Ciarán de Paor (0-2, one free). Subs used: M. Ó Domhnaill, O. Ó Griofa. Referee: James Molloy. Man of the Match: Noel Henry (Tuam Stars). [/private]