Back 25/07/2018 @ 00:00 | League D1 Final Report

Brian Marren

On one of the premier days in the Sligo GAA Calendar, the Division 1 football final, Curry was the setting for a clash between two South Sligo clubs, the champions and dominant force in the county, Tourlestrane, and Coolaney/Mullinabreena, a club who have not participated in a league final in 47 years. Coolaney/Mullinabreena got the first score on the board with Gavin Gorman scoring from play to start the game off. The game's first major turning point came soon after however, with Tourlestrane answering back with a goal through corner forward John Kelly, who drilled a shot past goalkeeper Eoin McDonagh to put Tourlestrane firmly in the driving seat.The two sides traded scores for a few minutes, before Gavin Gorman was dragged down in the large rectangle, winning a penalty, which captain Cristeoir Davey duly converted,bringing the sides level.This did not last long however as Tourlestrane replied in kind almost immediately through corner-back Brian Kennedy. The champions went on to score the next 5 points, though this summation does an disservice to the game as a contest as Coolaney/Mullinabreena didn't capitalize on a number of well worked chances. Tourlestrane had no such problems, with Cathal Henry and Liam Gaughan scoring with proficiency.At halftime Tourlestrane went 6 points to the good.

That gap proved to be unassailable, with Tourlestrane being able to sit back and absorb the pressure exerted by Coolaney/Mullinabreena and pick points off on the break.As a result, Coolaney/Mullinabreena could not reduce the gap to under 6 points for the duration of the second half despite a scoring outburst from Centre-Forward Shane 'O' Brien and another penalty converted by Cristeoir Davey.

When referee Ronan Hynes blew the final whistle, it was Tourlestrane who came away as deserving League Champions with a final score of 2-08 to 2-15.

As for Coolaney/Mullinabreena, they can look forward to their forthcoming Championship campaign in a group with Three previous County Champions in the last ten years,St.Mary's, Tubbercurry, and Eastern Harps.