Galway Keep Their Heads In
Galway's Matthew Clancy is tackled by Davy Harte and Kevin Hughes of Tyrone (INPHO)
Galway 1-14
Tyrone 2-9
By Dermot Kavanagh
Despite the windy conditions this game at Galway provided great entertainment for a very appreciative and large crowd.
This was as competitive a game as one could hope to witness at this stage of the season.
It was played at near-championship pace as the home side fought to maintain their position as joint-league leaders, while Tyrone sought to add to their single league point.
Galway's decision to play against the wind in the first-half seemed curious. However that decision was fully justified when they led 1-1 to no score for Tyrone after ten minutes.
An easy win looked a possibility for Galway. However, Tyrone rallied and when Sean Kavanagh scored their first goal in the twentieth minute they were right back in the game.
Galway's ability to alter their style of play to meet the conditions enabled them to head for the half-time break on level terms, 1-4 apiece.
Galway opened the second-half with two quick points. However if Galway could score readily against the wind so also could Tyrone and when Mulgrue scored a clever goal in the fiftieth minute the issue was wide open once again.
Tyrone actually went a point in front for a brief period but Galway regained clarity and ultimately the lead when man-of-the-match Michael Meehan struck three marvellous points.
Galway looked an effective outfit with full forward Meehan orchestrating matters in a very competent-looking forward line. Tyrone will regret their poor first-half performance when wind-assisted but despite this defeat they looked far from being a spent force.
Kildare 0-12 Donegal 0-11
Donegal made the long journey to Newbridge as joint league leaders with Galway.
With the game going into added time they looked to have held that position as they guarded a one point lead. However Kildare, displaying a typical never say die attitude weren't about to surrender the spoils before a hugely supportive full house.
Two excellent points from sub Michael Conway were enough to push them over the line for a highly merited win.
This was no game for the faint hearted. In fact there was a physical element to the proceedings that smacked of championship football rather than an early season league encounter. The hits were hard and uncompromising and one suspects that Kildare manager, Kieran McGeeney had encouraged his team to play with the same physicality as he and his Armagh team have done so effectively over the last ten years.
Despite playing against the wind in the opening half Donegal still lead at half-time by 0-7 to 0-6. If they thought that the second-half was going to be a walk in the park they were learned early that Kildare, under McGeeney are no longer a pushover.
Kildare tackled with ferocious determination and refused to let Donegal out of their sights. That aggressive approach ensured that when the opportunity to win the game presented itself they were able to take it.
Kerry 0-10 Derry 0-9
Derry Manager, Paddy Crozier left Killarney on Sunday evening in a very irate frame of mind. To Crozier's view, Referee Michael Collins (from Cork) almost single handidly gave the two points to Kerry. Crozier's remarks that Collins gave Kerry at least eight frees that were at least borderline but none more so than the fourteen yard free in the final minute from which Kerry's Brian Sheehan kicked the winner.
Collins was the dominant personality in a hard-hitting but fair contest. In all he produced eleven cards and one red card and altogether had a bad game.
Derry at least deserved a draw but in reality they only have themselves to blame.
They spurned two excellent goal scoring opportunities one in each half, scoring either of them would probably have secured the league points.
Kerry looked strangely unimaginative. Their only tactic seemed to be to loft high balls into Kieran Donaghy and hope for the best.
Yet, for all their lacklustre approach Kerry did what they are almost unbeatable at.
When the game was yet to be won they did what was necessary to create that all important "free" from which their winning point was scored.
Derry will regret that they lost a great opportunity to claim a big scalp, but they only have themselves to blame.
Laois 1-13 Mayo 1-13
Both teams entered this game at Portlaois sharing the bottom of the league table with no points from three games.
At the end of an entertaining game both sides each lost their losing habit and shared the league points.
Laois looked the better team in the opening half and were just a goal in front at half time (1-7 to 0-7) their goal coming from full forward Brendan Quigley.
The score that was to bring Mayo back into the game came in the forty-fifth minute when Andy Moran slatted home a very dubious penalty. For the remainder of the game the sides swapped the points and with five minutes remaining Moran kicked what looked like the winner for Mayo. On the call of time Laois' battling qualities and a free which Tierney (Laois' top scorer with eight points) slotted over to earn a share of the spoils.
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