Spirited St James' hold out

Date Published: 06-Oct-2009

CITY club St James’ were crowned junior B county champions at Tuam Stadium on Sunday when they survived a late Dunmore McHales rally to hold out for a one-point win in a thrilling encounter.This decider looked destined to go to a replay when the North Board champions secured a free in injury time – the excellent John Slattery, who had closed the deficit to one-point with a well-executed free minutes earlier, had a chance to tie the game but his long-range effort with the last kick of the match fell into goalkeeper Damien Whyte’s hands giving St James’ the win.It was a cruel ending for Dunmore, who were gunning for their first ever county championship title at this level, but the Mervue/Renmore outfit’s goal-poaching ability ultimately proved decisive.St James’ three goals – one of them controversial – were vital in securing silverware on Sunday and this victory will go some small way to boosting the morale of the club which was on the floor last week after St James’ lost the intermediate final to Léitir Mór.The first goal was landed on 11 minutes by full-forward Paul Duffy, who latched onto a long-ball into the edge of the square by midfielder David O’Connell. Duffy used his physicality to shrug-off the challenge of full-back David Connelly and he fired the ball passed 'keeper Nicky Walsh.Far from boosting St James’ however the goal spurred Dunmore into action and Ollie Turner’s charges dominated proceedings for the next 20 minutes. Slattery instantly replied with a point and then had a goal of his own to bring Dunmore on level terms with St James’ midway through the half when he was first to react to a goal-mouth scramble to slot it passed Whyte, who had originally pulled-off a neat save from James Gleeson.St James’ should have...