Coolera-Strandhill become first Sligo club to win Connacht title in over 40 years

Coolera-Strandhill became the first Sligo club to win a Connacht senior championship in over 40 years with a dramatic defeat of Roscommon’s Padraig Pearses in Markievicz Park.
The Sligo champions had nine different scorers on the day with Ross Doherty’s extra-time goal and three points from substitute Adam Higgins proving crucial as they claimed the title for the first time.
Captain Peter Laffey lifted the trophy 41 years after his father Mick was part of the last Sligo team – St Mary’s – to taste senior provincial glory in 1983.
It was a deserved win for the seasiders, who managed without injured county player Keelan Cawley, but had superb scores on the day from the likes of Ross O’Carroll, Oran Harte, Kevin Banks, Sean Taylor, Aaron O’Boyle and goalkeeper Keelan Harte.
But Pearses will reflect on a wasteful first half that saw them kick seven wides. They were also five points ahead at one stage in the second period and had a late chances to win it in ordinary time, and to level it up in extra-time.
Coolera’s sharp-shooter Niall Murphy got the first of his five-point haul to open the scoring but Roscommon county player Conor Daly drove forward to level things up two minutes later after some sustained possession from his side.
O’Boyle got onto a pass from Murphy to hit a stylish point, only for Declan Kenny to respond in kind at the other end in a bright opening from both teams.
But it was the Sligo side that looked more clinical as youngster Oran Harte and Sligo dual-player Banks pointed brilliantly from play, while Pearses’ kicked three successive wides.
Pearses midfielder Conor Ryan and Coolera’s Ross O’Carroll traded scores before Daly claimed his second from play. But Pearses were still struggling to turn possession into scores, failing to convert seven shots at the posts into a bright December sun.
That sun caused the officials difficulty on 25 minutes, and they needed some deliberations before deciding that Eoin Colleran’s free-kick had gone between the posts to level up the contest.
That boost lifted the visitors and Jack Tumulty put the Roscommon men in front for the first time with two points from play as the pre-match favourites pushed into a 7-5 half-time lead.
Coolera got the boost they needed two minutes after the restart when goalkeeper Harte crept into space on the right and brilliantly drove the ball between the posts.
But Tumulty was back causing trouble soon after, winning the penalty that Kenny converted before another pointed free from Colleran saw the gap open to five.
Murphy’s free at the other end was followed by a point from full-back Taylor, as Coolera renewed their efforts. The lively Higgins got his first and Murphy reduced the gap with two scores sandwiching another Colleran effort.
Banks then landed a beauty from distance to level matters up with just one minute remaining.
Substitute Emmett Kelly had two difficult chances to win it in injury-time, but both drifted left as the sides remained deadlocked at 0-12 to 1-9.
Murphy opened the scoring for extra-time, but his next effort at the posts dropped short, only for Doherty to flick to the net.
But Pearses’ response was impressive, with two points from Colleran and one from Jack Nevin narrowing the gap back to a point by the turnaround.
Higgins also pointed in the first half of extra-time, and he repeated the trick in the second period after turning over possession in his own half.
Pearses got back to within a point, but Tumulty saw a late effort drop short, as Coolera made history.
COOLERA-STRANDHILL: K Harte (0-1); S Murphy, S Taylor (0-1), C McDonagh; J Cassidy, R O’Carroll (0-1), O Harte (0-1); K Banks (0-2), P Laffey; A O’Boyle (0-1), M McDaniel, R Doherty (1-0); L Doherty, N Murphy (0-5, four frees), B O’Mahony.
Subs used: A Higgins (0-3) for O’Boyle (40), L Bree for Cassidy (68), H Rooney for L Doherty (70), C Burke for Banks (76).
PEARSES: P Whelan; A McGreal, C Keogh, G Downey; C Daly (0-2), N Carty, R Daly; C Ryan (0-1), N Daly; D Murray, C Harley, D Kenny (1-2); J Tumulty (0-3, one free), P Carey, E Colleran (0-5, four frees).
Subs used: S Canning for McGreal (40), C Lohan for Downey (50), J Nevin (0-1) for Tumulty (51), E Kelly for Carey (51), M Richardson for Canning (72), J Tumulty for Kelly (61), Kelly for Keogh (74).
Referee: T Murphy (GY).