Aidan Walsh proved his class once more as he prepares to return to Croke Park with An Ghaeltacht

It’s that time of year, club championship games in freezing midwinter conditions, where the unthinkable can happen. 

From start to finish, Saturday was one of those days.

Coming towards the end of long and arduous campaigns, there were several heroic tales of playing through the pain to produce famous victories.

On Leeside, Aidan Walsh looked set for an unhappy Páirc homecoming as his adopted An Ghaeltacht side required a Christmas miracle.

A cruel quadruple injury blow had robbed them of All-Star centre-back Brian Ó Beaglaoich and three more key teammates. All but one were risked for a finish.

They dug deep into their panel and found a courageous performance to lead until a contentious finish, where a seemingly obvious 4v3 breach went unpunished in the build-up to Sallins’ equaliser. 

By then, An Ghaeltacht’s Man of the Match and scorer of 0-8, Ruaidhrí Ó Beaglaoich, had also departed the field.

Aodán Breathnach, as former Cork dual star Walsh goes by as Gaeilge, had kicked a sublime two-pointer earlier in the contest. 

Having emptied himself in a fierce midfield battle, he, too, was withdrawn in extra time. He grimaced in pain, clutching his back, as he walked off.

Sallins had the legs, had control, and had the lead down the stretch. An Ghaeltacht were out on their feet as they struggled to muster the energy to press up on the ball. 

Sallins regained possession with 76:40 on the clock and held it right up to 80:01. That exact moment, as they unwisely shot for the posts and missed, the fourth official raised his board to signal one added minute.

An Ghaeltacht’s last chance looked to have gone when the Kildare champions won the kick-out. However, Sallins were pinged for fouling the ball and then further punished with a 50-metre advancement.

They had the option of a levelling one-pointer, but given the patched-up state of their remaining, exhausted bodies, Éanna Ó Conchúir took a win-or-bust approach. 

After lengthy deliberations, he took the free back out for a two-pointer and launched a stunning walk-off winner. Seeing both teams fighting each other to a standstill will suit Derry champions Glenullin, who await in next Sunday’s final at Croke Park.

Walsh and his teammates have a week to gather themselves and go again. 

DUAL DIAMOND

The Kanturk native, who won a hurling title in 2018, will be chasing his own piece of individual history if he can complete an All-Ireland intermediate double.

In the senior semi-final, An Ghaeltacht’s neighbours and rivals Dingle somehow trumped that drama with a barnstorming comeback victory over Ballyboden St Enda’s, again, after extra-time at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

It was instinctive football that dug them out of a 10-point hole. 

Kerry defender Tom O’Sullivan couldn’t miss, with a terrific 0-6 contribution from his five trademark outside-of-the-boot attempts. But half-time substitute Paul Geaney, their 35-year-old captain playing through a calf injury, was their inspiration and talisman. 

He kicked 0-8 from his six shots, including the left-footed two-pointer to force extra-time and the right-footed two-point free to give Dingle their first lead in the 77th minute.

Manager Pádraig Corcoran said they were given “no choice” but to leave Geaney on the bench, while the man himself wasn’t sure how long he would last.

“I was in the dark with it really,” he said. “The worry is that you have to go off. The game is in the melting pot late on and if you play the first 40 or 50 and you re-injure, you're not good enough. You're fatigued and you're gone off and the game is to be won.” 

Semple Stadium brought a similar tale of resilience, although the verdict went against St Finbarr’s.

On the strange setting of a half-white, half-green pitch in a freezing Thurles, the Sorcha McCartan-inspired Barrs swept over six unanswered points to lead by four entering the final quarter. But by the finish, it was Athenry celebrating.

They had remarkable triumphs against adversity as manager Joe Rabbitte’s daughters played through serious injuries; Olwen Rabbitte with her torn ACL and Sabina Rabbitte with a fractured foot. Both scored vital points in that winning surge.

Of course, the Barrs had their stories of sacrifice as they fought right to the bitter end, but those get lost in the result. 

It’s still been an incredible year for them as they twice came within minutes of All-Ireland glory.

But having been denied by a 1-3 burst in the drawn game, they were outscored 0-7 to 0-1 by Athenry in the final quarter on Saturday.

It was a poignant success, too, as the Galwegians’ silverware was dedicated to Kate Moran, who tragically died while playing for her club in 2022.