Galway Flattered By Win

Connacht SFC Semi-Final
Galway 1-13 Sligo 0-12

By Denis O'Brien

It took until injury time for Galway to finally overcome a battling Sligo in a game that they, the fancied Tribesmen, could have easily lost and they were flattered winners in the end.

After taking a two-point lead into the second half, Galway saw that margin vanish nine minutes after the restart. The game ebbed and flowed from their till a minute from normal time when Padraig Joyce looked to have finally sealed the deal for Galway when putting over to increase the margin to two points.

But Sligo, who had been battling from midway through the first half, would not go away and two frees from the excellent David Kelly tied the sides once more.

Then in injury time, a costly giveaway free in Sligo's half sent Galway into attack from which the influential Joe Bergin made hay as he shot between the posts to give Galway the lead on the 72nd minute.

Sligo never got a chance to respond as Galway broke the kickout with the ball falling to wing back, Jonathon Davey who was dispossessed near the sideline by Padraig Joyce.

The ace forward looked up and gave a great pass inside to the unmarked Sean Armstrong who went around goalkeeper, Philip Greene before crashing the ball to the back of the Sligo net.

Game, set and match, Galway.

Galway raced into an early lead with a brace of scores from Joyce and Armstrong catching a very flat footed Sligo defense off guard.

Adrian Marron replied for Sligo before Galway who were full of running, struck three unanswered points from the excellent Joyce, young wing back Gareth Bradshaw and the lively corner forward, Armstrong to increase the lead to four.

Sean Daly got one back for Sligo but with Joyce, Armstrong and the pacey Mathew Clancy causing problems upfront, Galway once more extended the lead with three further points to now lead by six.

The first of those points came from Armstrong whose goal bound shot was deflected over the crossbar by a fine save by Philip Greene.

Galway were then hit with a blow when Clancy went off with a leg muscle injury and they seemed to lose their way somewhat after this as Sligo finished the half on a high note hitting the next four scores, the last two coming from former Boston players, Ross Donovan and Jonathon Davey.

Sligo corner forward David Kelly, who was creating trouble with every touch, helped to stem the tide during that period with his side now trailing by two at the break.

Sligo sub Kevin Sweeney missed a gilt-edged chance of a goal shortly after the resumption when put through and bearing down on goal, he struck the ball directly at keeper, Adrian Flaherty who saved the ball. The resulting '45, saw Kelly expertly convert.

Marron then leveled the game with a point before the game was thrown on its head with a double sending off when Sligo's Mark Ewing got a second yellow while Galway's Gary O'Donnell foolishly punched Davey in the ribs when the two were on the ground over the sideline. He received a red card for this idiocy.

The sides were level on two further occasions before Galway's injury time 1-1 sealed victory for the Tribesmen.

Sligo's David Kelly and sub Stephen Coen, both operating at corner forward, were influential and looked dangerous in the late stages.

Galway's performance lacked polish and their full back line in particular was under pressure.

They will need to improve on this performance when Connacht final opponents and old rivals Mayo come calling on July 19.

Teams & Scorers:
Galway: A Flaherty, D Burke, F Hanley, N Coyne, G Bradshaw (0-1), D Blake, D Meehan, P Conway, G O'Donnell, C Bane (0-1), P Joyce (0-3), J Bergin (0-1), S Armstrong (1-3), M Meehan (0-4, 2f), M Clancy. Subs: JJ Greaney for Clancy (15 mins), M Sice for D Meehan (43), B Cullinane for Bane (56), K Fitzgerald for Hanley (61)
Sligo: P Greene, C Harrison, N McGuire, R Donovan (0-01), M McNamara, N Ewing, J Davey (0-1), T Taylor, E Mullen, E O'Hara, A Costello, S Davey (0-1), D Kelly (0-4, 2f 1 '45'), M Breheny (0-2, f), A Marren (0-2, f). Subs: K Sweeney for S Davey (31 mins), P McGovern for Harrison (h-t), S Coen (0-01) for Marren (53).
Referee: D Fahy (Longford).