Comortas Peile Na Gaeltacht 2007
- Foirne Soisir

Acla 3-8 
Beal an Mhuiread 0-4

Ultan Corrigan in Drum, Beal an Mhuiread.

A SEARING opening 25 minutes saw a razor-sharp Acla side put Beal an Mhuirthead to the sword in this largely one-sided Junior Comortas Peile Na Gaeltacht final in Drum on Sunday. The Beal an Mhuiread men simply withered under the force of the green and white onslaught that registered 2-4 to 0-1 after only 25 minutes. 
There was much to admire about Acla’s ruthless performance especially in defence where full-back Colm Mac Ceafraigh, Gearoid Mac Ceafraigh and Micheal O’Gallchobhair were outstanding. At midfield Donal O’Gallchobhair and Tom O’Chorracian generally had the better of the exchanges while their full-forward line of Ciaran O’Nia, Micheal MacConmara and Micheal D 
MacSuibhne registered 3-4 between then. Acla operated on a different level, showing a higher degree of commitment throughout. From the moment Micheal MacConmara blasted to the net in the 5th minute they had the bit between their teeth and rarely relinquished it. They prevailed in most of the individual contests and showed an appetite that the hosts could not match. 
The visitors were firing on all cylinders in the early stages, scoring 1-2 inside the opening quarter. The goal fell the way of the impressiv full-forward Micheal Mac Conmara, who blasted into the top corner from close range after a scramble in to the Beal an Mhuiread goal mouth. Lively corner-forward Micheal D MacSuibhne slotted over a point soon after before opposite number Seaghan O’Nailluin earned the hosts a short reprieve with a free from an acute angle. But disaster struck for the Beal an Mhuiread men in the 15th minute when the referee awarded Acla what looked like a soft penalty, a goalkeeper Donal O’Shovlainn, despite being under severe pressure was penalized for what seemed to be over carrying. To the dismay of the home support a penalty was awarded, however they may have felt justice was done as O’Shovlainn pulled off a great save with his legs to deflect the ball out only for Mairtin MacConmara to pick up the rebound and drill over a  point. 
Beal an Mhuiread fell further behind in the 21st minute as Micheal MacConmara pointed after good work by Ciaran O’Nia. The duo combined a minute later to devastating effect as O’Nia scored a brilliant goal. Acla again went route one, as County minor Donal O’Gallchobhaor launched a “garryowen” towards the Belmullet goal. Micheal MacConmara got on the end of it and cleverly flicked the ball down to O’Nia who finished beautifully into the bottom corner. Micheal MacConmara then rounded off a good first half team display with another point from 30 yards. Acla led 2-4 to 0-1 at half-time and given the general trend up to then, the possibility of a Beal an Mhuiread revival looked very remote, and so it proved. 
After just two minutes on the clock, another long ball was lunched into the Beal an Mhuiread goal area by the hardworking Donal O’Chorracian and Ciaran O’Nia punched the leather to the back of the net with the minimum of fuss. Leading 3-4 to 0-1 at this stage, the game was long over bar the shouting, however Beal an Mhuiread did rally and started playing with a lot more commitment for the remainder of the half. With Ciaran Bairead and Cainneach O’Cinneide driving them forward they started to cause Acla some problems. However there cause wasn’t helped as Seaghan O’Nailluin was sent to the line for two yellow cards and Acla strolled through the rest of the game without being severely tested.

SCOR - Acla:
C’O Nia 2-0, 
Micheal Mac Conmara 1-3,
S O’Phidian 0-2 (1F),
M D MacSuibhna, Mairtin Mac Conmara agus Donal O’Gallchobhair 0-1 gach.

Beal an Mhuiread:
S O’Nailluin 0-2 (1F),
T Donnchu agus C O’Conchubhair 0-1 gach.

ACLA: Conor Mac Phaidin, Sean MacCeafraigh, Colm MacCeafraigh, Joe Bearla, Micheal D MacConmara, Geariod Mac Ceafraigh, Micheal O’Gallchobhair, Tom O’Chorracian, Donal 
O’Gallchobhair, Mairtin MacConmara, Donal 0’ Chorracian, Daithi O’Caitagian, Micheal D MacSuibhne, Micheal MacConmara, Ciaran O’Nia. Subs: Seaghan O’Phaidin for D O’Caitagian (38), Finbarr O’Gallchobhair for M D MacConmara (56), Tom Mac Suibhne for Geariod Mac Ceafraigh agus Mairtin O’Dualain for C MacCeafraigh (58mm).

BEAL an MHUIREAD: Donal O’Shovlainn, Stiofan O’Nailluin, Breandan Mac an tSaoir, Cainneach O’Conchubhair, Deaglan Mac Suibhne, Damien Mac Phaidin, Liam O’Donnchu, Padraig O’Cathain, Ciaran Bairead, Antaine Mac Phaidin, Ciaran O’Maolallaigh, Micheal S Tuachair, Gearoid Bairead, Ian O’Tuachair, Seaghan O’Nailluin. Subs: Sean O’Chorracian for O’Donnchu (14), Darren O’Dochartaigh for A Mac Phaidin (44), Tomas O’Donnchu for M S Tuachair agus Daithi Mhaoilaidh for Stiofan O’Naillin (48).

Reiteoir: Vincent Neary.

This review is copyright of The Western People, Tuesday March 17 2006, Sports Page 6.