Galway sparkle in Salthill sun to reclaim Connacht title

Galway 2-19 Roscommon 2-16

A sunny afternoon for Galway and manager Pádraic Joyce saw them rack up a first Connacht title win in four years and a first in Pearse Stadium since 2005. If there was a greyish cloud it would have been the final margin. A late scoring burst by Roscommon trimmed the deficit but as three-point defeats go, this was comprehensive.

A sparkling display by the winners’ full forwards left no doubt which team was going to win and although Roscommon fought back, their manager Anthony Cunningham acknowledged that they conceded too many scores and lacked energy.

“The inside line was brilliant,” said Joyce. “Rob [Finnerty], Damien [Comer] and Shane [Walsh] were all really good and that’s what we looked to do, to get the ball in as quick as possible to three great players.”

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Walsh gave one of those bravura displays when he looks like he could race out across the waves into Galway Bay. His gliding runs and changes of direction create enough anxiety for defenders without the killer dummies being impulse buys.

“He’s one of the best footballers I’ve ever seen playing,” said his manager, “but Shane knows himself that he has to produce these performances in the big games and then he’ll get more national recognition.”

His 1-6 included 1-3 from play. The goal had its origins in a good catch from Matthew Tierney and a great sequence of passing: Johnny Heaney to Comer to Walsh and two dummies later a clear shot at goal and the first green flag on 18 minutes.

The slickness of Galway’s passing was a frequent feature of the afternoon, although Joyce lamented the one or two that went astray and cost further goals. Another outstanding aspect of their play was the sweeping counterattacks that cut open Roscommon on several occasions, particularly in the second half when the defence was able to sit back and turn over increasingly desperate attacks.

Both managers made that point afterwards that Galway with the lead could comfortably sit back and hit on the break. Yet credit has to go to the pace and efficiency. Seán Kelly was indefatigable getting forward whereas Dylan McHugh’s electric bursts created panic. And in the first half particularly, Cillian McDaid opened up avenues of opportunity with nearly every possession.

Rob Finnerty well deserved his manager’s commendation. He ended the afternoon with five from play and tormented David Murray until the corner back was replaced and got the sanctuary of the sideline.

Roscommon weren’t the only team to learn at the weekend that league displays are no guarantee of championship performance and they found Galway a far more structured and resolute proposition than in the fun-filled Division Two final last April.

A decent half-time lead of five, 2-7 to 0-8, was mitigated only by the black card for Kieran Molloy in the 32nd minute for a panicky pull-down of Ciaráin Murtagh when Roscommon had a turnover of their own and threatened a break.

The sin-binning didn’t appear to affect Galway and when Finnerty’s 34th-minute shot came back off the post, Patrick Kelly reacted fastest to hit the second goal and a 2-7 to 0-8 half-time lead.

For the most part Roscommon couldn’t find a way through Galway’s well-organised defence. The forwards that had caused chaos in Croke Park found routes to scoring positions blocked off and only Ultan Harney at centrefield, in an excellent display, could be relied on to win possession and take the fight to the home side.

His performance and three-point tally was recognised by Cunningham. “I’m delighted for him because it’s probably the first year in many years that he hasn’t been injured.”

Galway got the first two points after half-time, the second scored by Comer who had a major impact in the third quarter with three points, but also in his best bull-in-a-China shop humour, barrelling on to ball and creating openings.

He had to go off eventually after taking a knock when being pulled down by Brian Stack as he went to round him in the 64th minute and for which there was peculiarly no card of any colour.

Roscommon stuck at it and their bench brought some relief. Galway probably helped in that they consistently went long on the kick-outs and after initial devastation – the ball for Comer’s second point came direct from Conor Gleeson’s kick-out and hit the full forward around the 45-metre line – this proved less fruitful.

Still the match had more or less been put to bed. A combination move, featuring replacements Andrew Glennon and Diarmuid Murtagh teed up Conor Daly for a 63rd-minute riposte of a goal, but Galway were still comfortably ahead going into injury-time and led by seven in the 75th minute.

Glennon and Diarmuid Murtagh also combined for the second goal with time all but up. It put a respectable gloss on the scoreboard but Galway were full value for their 48th provincial title, which puts them level with Mayo on the Connacht roll of honour.

“We’ll push on from here and see how we go in four weeks’ time,” said Joyce, as Galway wait for All-Ireland quarter-final opponents to emerge from the coming weeks’ qualifier action, which will include Roscommon and one of next weekend’s winners.

GALWAY: 1 C Gleeson; 3 S Kelly (capt), 2 L Silke, 4 J Glynn; 5 D McHugh, 6 J Daly, 9 C McDaid (0-1); 8 P Conroy (0-1), 11 M Tierney; 7 K Molloy (0-1), 10 P Kelly (1-0), 12 J Heaney (0-2); 13 R Finnerty (0-5), 14 D Comer (0-3), 15 S Walsh (1-6, two 45s, one free).

Subs: 20 N Daly for Tierney (59 mins), 21 F Ó Laoí for Comer (65), O Gallagher for Finnerty, 22 Paul Kelly for Patrick Kelly (both 70), 18 C Sweeney for Molloy (74).

ROSCOMMON: 1 C Lavin; 2 D Murray, 3 B Stack, 4 C Daly (1-1); 5 C Hussey, 6 N Daly, 7 R Daly; 8 U arney (0-3), 9 E Nolan; 12 C Heneghan (0-1), 11 E Smith (0-1), 10 C Murtagh (0-1); 13 C McKeon (0-1), 14 D Smith (capt; 0-2, one free), 15 C Cox (0-5, three frees).

Subs: 19 N Kilroy for Heneghan (h/t), 26 R Hughes for Murray (48 mins), 21 D Murtagh for D Smith (49; 1-1, one free), 23 K Doyle for Nolan, 24 A Glennon for McKeon (both 58).

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).