Naomh Anna Leitir Mór 2-13 St Michaels 1-14.
The Galway senior football championship began with a Pearse Stadium cracker last night as the Connemara side ousted the City men by 2 points. An absorbing contest saw both sides hit the net in the opening 5 minutes with St.Michaels striking first through Keith Ward in the 3rd minute. Leitir Mór’s first goal came 2 minutes later thanks to a neat finish by the impressive Aongus O Fatharta. The Gaeltacht side scored points either side of their goal through Ferdia Breathnach and Aongus Fatharta which gave the underdogs a platform to build.
The 2014 county finalists however began to take control of this contest and hit 8 of the next 10 scores with Eamon Brannigan notching 4 points from play. That meant St.Michaels led by 4 entering half time. Eamon O Loinsigh reduced the arrears to 3 before Iarla O Currain netted 3 minutes into time added on to tie up this intriguing contest.
The Gaeltacht side picked up where they left off after the interval and fired over 6 of the next 8 points with Patrick Marc O Fatharta getting 3 of those scores. Both sides traded 2 points each between the 52nd and 60th minutes which meant Naomh Anna Leitir Mor led by 4 as we went into time added on. There were 4 minutes added after the 60 and although Eamon Brannigan and Eddie Hoare pointed, the Connemara side held on for a 2 point win. Eamon Brannigan finished with 6 points from play for St. Michaels while Aonghus O Fatharta notched 1-3 for the victors; all of which came in the opening 30. A huge win for the Gaeltacht side in the opening contest of the senior football championship.
