Galway in Connacht Under 21 Football Final after victory over Mayo in Tuam
At a bitterly cold Tuam Stadium today Galway advanced to the Connacht U-21 final against Roscommon following their two point win over Mayo 0-9 to 0-7, it was close game all through with the winners leading at the break by a single point after having the advantage of the breeze in that opening half.
‘Man of the Match’ Shane Walsh opened Galway’s scoring with a pointed free after two minutes and he doubled the advantage from play two minutes later, and when full foward Adrian Varley landed another from play the home side were three up on ten minutes. Evan Regan opened Mayo’s scoring with a point a minute later but Cathal Mulryan replied with Galway’s last score of the half on twelve minutes, Cillian O’Connor and Regan added two more points for the visitors before the break to see then trailing by 0-3 to 0-4 as referee Paddy Neilan blew for half time.
The opening half also both sides reduced to fourteen men as Mayo’s Conor Horan and Galway’s Liam Silke were both dispatched after each received a second yellow card from a referee who was very whistle happy.
The first score of the second half came after five minutes when O’Connor made it all square after five minutes when he pointed a free but a minute later Walsh scored a super point, only for Danny Kirby to make it five all on eight minutes. Annaghdown’s Damien Comer restored Galway’s lead two minutes later and when Walsh added another it was now a two point game as the Galway were beginning to gain the upper hand in many sectors, both sides landed two points each in the final ten minutes with that man again Shane Walsh scoring both of Galway as O’Connor pointed a brace for Mayo.
Galway team; T Healy, L Silke, J Shaughnessy, D Burke, M Loughnane, E Walsh, P Varley, F O’Curraoin, D Comer, C Mulryan, S Moran, P Cunningham, S Walsh, A Varley, G Kelly.
Subs; C Rabbitte for Cunningham, S Maughan for G Kelly, I Burke for A Varley, E O’hEoghaidh for Moran, G Canavan for Comer.
