Cuala Claim Historic Victory over Coolera Strandhill to Reach First All-Ireland Football Final

Picture courtesy Sportsfile

CUALA 0-14 

COOLERA-STRANDHILL 0-9

Cuala progressed to their first ever AIB All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship decider when accounting for Coolera-Strandhill by five points at Kingspan Breffni Park on Sunday afternoon.

Their reward is a final date with Errigal Ciarán in Croke Park on Sunday week and they were full value for their victory despite a shaky period either side of the three-quarter mark.

Without overly impressing, Cuala pushed 0-6 to 0-2 ahead by half-time with their defensive organisation offering limited chances to their shot-shy opponents.

That advantage increased to seven points in the early stages of the second-half but a flurry of inspired scores from Coolera ensured a tenser conclusion to events than originally anticipated.

It was the Connacht champions that drew first blood as goalkeeper Keelan Harte received a short ‘45’ before splitting the posts from distance in the 3^rd minute.

It didn’t take long for Cuala to restore parity courtesy of a fine Cillian Dunne point before Coolera’s attacking talisman Niall Murphy edged his side back in front with an excellent score in the 9^th minute.

Once again, Cuala’s reply was immediate with Con O’Callaghan jinking his way through to level matters and the Dalkey side took the lead for the first time by the end of the first quarter as Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne punched over from an acute angle.

The towering midfielder could well have netted in the 18^th minute but lacked clarity as his effort was blocked although Cuala gained some reward for their enterprise as Cal Doran swivelled sharply to point when Con O’Callaghan’s ‘45’ dropped short.

The Sligo side were struggling to pierce a heavily-manned Cuala defence as they fell further behind to a Niall O’Callaghan point on the counter-attack in the 24^th minute.

Murphy spurned a hugely presentable chance of ending Coolera’s scoreless run when pushing a straightforward free wide, reflecting his side’s lack of cutting edge in the opening period.

The half finished with Con O’Callaghan tapping over a free following a foul on Michael Fitzsimons with their four-point interval lead an accurate barometer of Cuala’s control in the first-half.

Another piercing run by Fitzsimons allowed Doran to extend Cuala’s lead within twelve seconds of the restart while David O’Dowd, Peter Duffy and a Con O’Callaghan free pushed the Dublin champions seven points to the good by the 40^th minute.

However, from a position of complete dominance, they lost their way somewhat, as Coolera finally offered an attacking threat through points from substitute Adam Higgins, Mark McDaniel and Ross Doherty.

Further scores by Murphy and Peter Laffey were just reward for their improved showing but a booming point from Niall O’Callaghan in the 52^nd minute allowed Cuala to regain a degree of composure.

With his brother Eoghan O’Callaghan receiving a black card two minutes later, Cuala were forced to dig deep with Con O’Callaghan a hugely influential presence with his aerial ability from restarts.

His superb point from a driving run from deep epitomised his efficiency and leadership and Niall O’Callaghan added a point in added time as Cuala ran out comfortable winners by the final whistle.

Scorers – Cuala: C O’Callaghan 0-5 (3f); N O’Callaghan 0-3; C Doran 0-2; C Dunne, P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, D O’Dowd, P Duffy 0-1 apiece. Coolera-Strandhill: N Murphy, M McDaniel (1 mark) 0-2 each; K Harte, A Higgins, R Doherty, P Laffey, S Taylor 0-1 apiece.

Cuala: R Scollard; D Conroy, C McMorrow, E O’Callaghan; E Kennedy, M Fitzsimons, D O’Dowd; P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, P Duffy; C Dunne, C O’Brien, C Doran; L Keating, N O’Callaghan, C O’Callaghan. Subs: C Groarke for O’Brien (45), M Conroy for D Conroy (50), C Ó Giolláin for Keating (58), L Tracey for O’Dowd (60), J Power for Dunne (64).

Coolera-Strandhill: K Harte; S Murphy, J Cassidy, S Taylor; C McDonagh, R O’Carroll, O Harte; K Banks, P Laffey; R Doherty, M McDaniel, L Doherty; B O’Mahony, A O’Boyle, N Murphy. Subs: K Cawley for O’Mahony (38), A Higgins for McDonagh (40).

Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh).