Sport

Curran gets Stradbally going

Waterford Football final replay/Stradbally 2-8 Nire 1-4: An early second-half goal from Niall Curran, which levelled the scores…

Mon Nov 01 2004 - 00:00

Waterford Football final replay/Stradbally 2-8 Nire 1-4: An early second-half goal from Niall Curran, which levelled the scores, was the impetus that put Stradbally on the road to victory in the Waterford senior football final replay at Dungarvan yesterday.

This is Stradbally's fourth county title success in a row and they held their opponents to a single score in the second half while they added 1-5 after Curran's goal. The second goal came from Denis Doyle six minutes from the finish.

Curran, who finished the game with a personal tally of 1-5, opened the scoring in the eight minute when he converted a free and by the end of the first quarter the defending champions led by 0-3 to no score but were unable to score again for the remainder of the half.

Nire finally got on the scoreboard on 21 minutes through an Alan Lawlor point. They added 1-2 in the closing six minutes of the first half to lead by 1-3 to 0-3 at the break, the goal coming from Brian Wall in the 26th minute.

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Stradbally dominated the third quarter by which time they led by 1-7 to 1-4 with Ger Power kicking two points with Curran adding two more.

Doyle's goal sealed Stradbally's victory and fittingly Curran closed the day's scoring on the stroke of full-time when he converted a free.

STRADBALLY: E Cunningham; E Cummins, K Coffey, T Walsh; O Costelloe, T Costelloe, D Doyle (1-0); G Walsh, J Hearne; J Coffey, G Power (0-2), S Cunningham (0-1); N Curran (1-5, 0-4 frees), M Walsh, S Lannon. Sub: S Lawlor for Lannon.

NIRE: M Doocey; J Walsh, D Ryan, M Byrne; L Lawlor, T O'Gorman, L Walsh; A Ryan, M Walsh; A Lawlor (0-2), S Walsh (0-2), C Power; B Wall (1-0), P Walsh, J Moore. Subs: M O'Gorman for Liam Walsh; G Walsh for A Ryan; D Wall for A Lawlor; S Lawlor for Power.

Referee: S Flynn (Fenor).

Ballina Stephenites are through to the Mayo senior football final after a 0-13 to 0-10 victory over Crossmolina at Knockmore on Saturday. The winners set up a repeat of the 1996 final against neighbours Knockmore which is due to be played next Sunday.

SCORERS: Ballina: P Harte (0-7, five frees), R McGarrity (0-2), L Brady (0-1), P McGarry (0-1), S Hughes (0-1), B Ruane (0-1). Crossmolina: C McDonald (0-5, three frees); N Convey 0-2; M Moyles (0-1), G Walsh (0-1), J Keane (0-1).