Ballymacward 5-7 Loughrea 4-2. The game was played in July 1941. Report from Connacht Tribune. Two County titles went to the North board on Sunday last in Kilconieron, when Ballymacward (North Board Champions) defeated Loughrea in the hurling final by 5-7 to 4-2 and Castleblakeney defeated Ballinasloe in the football final by 4-10 to 2-3. The two winning teams are from neighbouring parishes. They both trained hard for the finals and this training was the deciding factor. The victorious fifteens were superior to their opponents in both Speed and stamina. M. Keegan (Ballinasloe) refereed the hurling game and P. Russell refereed the football match. The hurling game was fast and clean throughout and despite unfavourable weather some grand camán craft was on display. Loughrea opened the scoring with a point from Mannion and soon after J. Ward goaled for Ballymacward. Other scorers for Ballymacward in this half were: Raftery, Sweeney and Mannion. McNamee and Daniels had goals for Loughrea. This left the half-time score at Ballymacward 2-2; Loughrea 2-1.
Ward, playing a grand game at centre goaled for Ballymacward early in the second half. At this stage Kennedy and Fahy were having the better of the centre-field exchanges. Fahy, in particular, was outstanding. He distributed the ball efficiently to the forwards a who let few opportunities go astray. A great Loughrea rally found Bellew, Fahy, Kenny, Kindregan, Connell and Carr sound in defence, but continued pressure by a Loughrea forward division in which the McNamee brothers, Griffin and Flynn were prominent eventually got the Ballymacward lead down to two points. A grand effort by Fahy and Kenny for Ballymacward won a goal for Kennedy and from this on Ballymacward shaped up like winners. Fahy, Carty and Clarke held up many Loughrea efforts to pierce the defence and Carey, Mannion and Sweeney added to the Ballymacward score. The cup was presented to the Ballymacward captain by Mr. J. Whelan (Secretary of Galway County Board) who congratulated both teams on their displays.