The initial silence which greeted referee Seamus Prior's final whistle encapsulated the conflicting emotions - relief and disappointment - which followers of Galway and Roscommon juggled at the conclusion of yesterday's Bank of Ireland Connacht Senior Football Final.

Discerning who was the more fortunate to be offered another opportunity - the replay is on Saturday August 1st at Hyde Park (5.0) - will remain a contentious issue in what is sure to be a heated debate within the counties. Galway will reflect upon some rank bad finishing, 17 wides to their opponents four, but should acknowledge that they came within a whisker of buckling before Roscommon's second half onslaught. The driving rain which assailed the 25,000 attendance squeezed into every nook and cranny of Tuam Stadium ensured a sodden surface, a factor which undoubtedly aided Roscommon. Galway's nippy, lightweight full forward line often pirouetted away from their markers only to lose their footing at the crucial time.

The conditions fostered an anxiety in the Galway attack, with players not trusting themselves to bide their time and carve out clear-cut opportunities, instead favouring the hasty dispatch of the ball. This in some way explains Galway's profligacy. Despite the treacherous surface, the hard working Padraig Joyce and the fleet-footed Derek Savage created opportunities for those around them, but either the final pass or shot went astray too often. The under-utilised Jarlath Fallon was largely exempt from the wides fest, kicking two good points and showing well for the ball.

The Gavin brothers, Enon and Denis, struggled to contain the pace of Finnegan and Savage, the latter a constant thorn. Even switching corners failed to improve the fate of the Roscommon duo. They were fortunate that the supply into the Galway full forward line was rather fragmented in the second half.

In the first half, Kevin Walsh and Sean O Domhnaill proved far more adept at deflecting possession to colleagues and were aided by an industrious and hard working half back line in which Sean Og de Paor excelled. They poured forward in numbers, only to see good approach work spoiled by sloppy shooting.

During this period Roscommon largely relied on the placed ball accuracy of the game's most effective performer, Eddie Lohan, who finished the match with eight points. He maximised the returns for occasional forays into Galway territory.

Once acclimatised to the conditions, Galway began to dominate possession, forcing the Roscommon backs to concede a litany of frees. Declan Meehan, Joyce and Finnegan grabbed early points, but Lohan kept the visitors in touch with two excellently struck 45s.

Galway were grateful for the excellent reflexes of goalkeeper Martin McNamara, who brilliantly parried a Lorcan Dowd drive from 20 metres.

Further scores from Fallon, Finnegan and Joyce pushed Galway further ahead, only for two Lohan frees to keep Roscommon within touching distance. When Fallon, with his second, and O Domhnaill extended Galway's advantage it appeared that the favourites were about to shake off the shackles of mediocrity.

Instead, it was Roscommon who displayed the greater appetite. Tom Ryan and Keane began to edge the midfield battle, with Ciaran Heneghan and the excellent Michael Ryan sweeping onto the loose ball, Nigel Dineen and Dowd no longer ploughed a lonely furrow up front. Fergal O'Donnell had John Divilly in extreme discomfort every time the ball came in high.

After Tommy Grehan spun nimbly away from Thomas Mannion to kick a great point, Lohan added a brace and O'Donnell kicked another fine effort, and the sides were level. Galway responded through a Padraig Joyce point and a similar score from substitute Tommy Joyce before what appeared the game's pivotal moment.

Jason Neary was introduced for Keane, but within a minute was returning to the sideline after being sent off for catching Fallon with an elbow in the face. This setback, as so often happens, served to inspire as first Dowd and then Lohan twice edged Roscommon back in front.

Lohan's second point came directly as a result of a controversial decision by Seamus Prior who pulled back Michael Donnellan for throwing the ball as Galway seemed certain to score. Instead their opponents scored after Don Connellan was fouled from the aforementioned free.

It was then Roscommon's turn to question Prior as they vociferously claimed that Galway full back Gary Fahy had picked up the ball when challenged 30 metres from his own goal. The referee only intervened seconds later when Fahy was fouled and it was from this free that Galway launched the move which would end in Finnegan kicking the equalising score.

Donnellan's long-range free in injury time offered Galway a final opportunity to escape with a victory, but his effort drifted left and wide.

It was interesting to observe the contrast in the opposing dressingrooms in the aftermath, Galway's door locked to the thronging masses as the soul searching began.

That silence contrasted with the singing and general good spirits of the Roscommon players who recovered quickly from their initial disappointment. They are now bolstered by a genuine belief that they can beat Galway.

Galway will contend that the conditions militated against them and that their five-week absence from championship battle left them a little rusty. Saturday week will attest to whose version rings true.