By Evan Brennan

Attracta’s season over as second half fightback falls just short.

St. Attracta’s season ended last Wednesday when they suffered a devastating one-point loss to St. Gerald’s, Castlebar. In reality they were up against it before the game even begun as they were minus the services of key players, Kian Golden, Kieran Feely and Stephen Donoghue through injury. 

The game was very scrappy early on as both sides tried to figure each other out. Attracta’s suffered another cruel injury blow early on when centre back Tomas Goldrick had to be taken off due to a hamstring injury. Attracta’s fell apart soon after with Oran Groarke opening the scoring for Gerald’s followed by two goals in the space of five minutes to leave Attracta’s in desperate need of inspiration. The first goal was a tidy finish which again came from Groarke. They then earned themselves a penalty which was coolly slotted to the net by Mark Cunningham who was a handful for the Attracta’s defence all day with his blistering pace and skill stemming from his soccer background. 

Attracta’s were still in the game in the early stages as they created some great opportunities which they failed to convert draining more energy from themselves with wides from the two Marrens, Luke and Aidan, Liam Carty and a great goal chance spurned by Adam Gallagher. Aidan Marren finally got the south Sligo side off the mark with almost 20 minutes gone but Gerald’s quickly stalled any momentum Attracta’s were hoping to build with a point immediately after from Cunningham again. Attracta’s could have had a goal soon after when Ben Henry got his fist to a high ball into the box but it sailed agonisingly wide. However, they did get some reward for their efforts when Luke Marren pointed from a free but they were still way short of the intensity levels required as nearly every 50/50 ball was won by Gerald’s in the first half. 

The reigning Connacht champions began to get into their groove again in the final 10 minutes of the half with points from Shane Burns, Pierce Deane and Ben McHale giving them a huge 9-point lead with half time looming. Luke Marren ended the half on a high for Attracta’s scoring from a free but when the half time whistle blew the south Sligo side were in big trouble as they trailed 2-5 to 3 points.

Attracta’s came out of the dressing room a different animal for the second half as they showed huge hunger and appetite to keep their season alive. Attracta’s got off to the perfect start when that man again Luke Marren used his height to his advantage to score a fisted goal from a high ball shortly after the restart. It was quickly responded with a Brian Flaherty point. Attracta’s were then dealt another blow when Aidan Marren was sent to the sin bin but Attracta’s didn’t give up with a pointed free from Marren. Josh Flynn caught the resulting kick out and his mazy run resulted in him being taken down in the box to award Attractas’s a penalty which was coolly converted by Luke Marren. This reduced the deficit to just two points with only 15 minutes of the second half gone and suddenly Gerald’s were feeling the pressure but they earned themselves a reprieve when McHale scored an important point from play to halt Attracta’s momentum. 

Attracta’s refused to give up and another dominant period for them began when Luke Marren, who was incredible in the second half registering 2-3 scored a brilliant point from play and Attracta’s began to believe a miracle comeback was on. When captain of the team, Adam Gallagher scored a point from play to level proceedings with ten minutes remaining, it was looking good for the south Sligo school but it wasn’t to be as Liam Carty had a shot from distance which fell just short. Gerald’s were the more composed side from there as points from Cunningham and substitute Darragh Reilly put them two points ahead with very little time remaining. Kevin Brennan who started for Atttracta’s for the first time this season as a replacement for the injured Feely hit a late reply but it was too little too late as Gerald’s hung on to book a place in the final against Claregalway. For St. Attracta’s they can be proud of their performance in the second half. However, they will have huge regrets that they didn’t perform in the first half.

St. Attracta’s; Jack Lundy (Tourlestrane), Conor Johnston (Coolaney/Mullinabreena), Kieran Jennings (Curry), Adrian Walsh (Tourlestrane), Dylan McLoughlin (Curry), Tomas Goldrick (Charlestown), Kevin Brennan (Tourlestrane) 0-1, Niall Towey (Charlestown), Liam Carty (Cloonacool/Tubbercurry), Jamie Frizzel (Curry), Aidan Marren (Tourlestrane) 0-1, Ben Henry (Cloonacool/Tubbercurry), Luke Marren (Bunninadden) 2-5, Josh Flynn (Cloonacool/Tubbercurry), Adam Gallagher (Curry) 0-1. Sub’s; Fionn Lucey (Cloonacool/Tubbercurry) for Goldrick (Inj), Ciaran Gorman (Coolaney/Mullinabreena) for Lucey (Inj), Shane Feeley (Coolaney/Mullinabreena) for Frizzel, Zak Nealon (Tourlestrane) for Henry.

St. Gerald’s; D. Howley, C. Heneghan, T. Beirne, M. Waldron, J. O’Reilly, B. Thouy, S. Morahan, B. Flatherty, R. Fadden, S. Burns, M. English, P. Deane, M. Cunningham, O. Groake, B. McHale.