Mayo 0-16

Galway 1-14

Colm Gannon reports from McHale Park, Castlebar 

GALWAY EDGED OUT Mayo by a single point in the sunshine in MacHale Park after a frantic closing few minutes that saw Mayo come from six behind with ten minutes to go,  to get within an Aiden Orme effort that just drifted wide of forcing extra time.

Galway did the heavy lifting in the early stages of the second half, outscoring Mayo by 0-6 to 0-0 from the 36th to 56th minute of the half. 

Shane Walsh put on an exhibition of free taking in that period, kicking two 45s and another free from beyond the 45 while Paul Conroy and Damien Comer also caused the Mayo defence serious problems.

Galway started the game in bluster and were 1-3 to 0-1 up with six minutes gone on the clock, with Johnny Heaney getting the goal after he chased in to beat Aidan O’Shea to the ball after Comer played the ball into the danger area. 

Mayo did work themselves back into the game before the close of the first half with Cillian O’Connor and Ryan O’Donoghue keeping the scoreboard ticking over, with Walsh and Conroy doing the same for their side as they teams went in locked at 0-9 to 1-6.

James Carr put Mayo into the lead for the only time in the game just after the restart, but Galway took over: Kieran Molloy, Shane Walsh (three points), Cillian McDaid and Conroy all pointing for Galway before Mayo registered their next score.

Delight for Galway manager Padraic Joyce at full-time. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

 Further points from Conroy and Heaney had Galway 1-14 to 0-11 up with ten minutes of normal time left, and the game looked to be heading in only one direction.

But Mayo rallied down the home straight and they reeled off five on the bounce to cut the gap to a single point before the death, but Galway held on for a deserved victory in their rivals’ backyard.

Scores for Mayo: Cillian O’Connor (0-6, 6f), Ryan O’Donoghue (0-4, 1m), James Carr (0-2), Eoghan McLaughlin (0-1), Lee Keegan (0-1), Diarmuid O’Connor (0-1), Kevin McLoughlin (0-1)

Scorers for Galway: Shane Walsh (0-5, 3f, 2 45), Johnny Heaney (1-1) Paul Conroy (0-3), Roberty Finnerty (0-1), Damien Comer (0-1), Kieran Molloy (0-1), Cillian McDaid (0-1), Niall Daly (0-1) 

Mayo 

1. Rory Byrne (Castlebar Mitchels)

2. Lee Keegan (Westport), 3. Oisín Mullin – (Kilmaine), 4. Padraig O’Hora (Ballina Stephenites)

 5. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore), 6. Michael Plunkett (Ballintubber), 7. Eoghan McLaughlin – (Westport)

 8. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), 9. Matthew Ruane – (Breaffy)

 11. Ryan O’Donoghue (Beal a Mhuirthead), 12. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina Deel Rovers), 25. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber)

 13. James Carr (Ardagh), 14. Jason Doherty (Burrishoole), 15. Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber)

Subs: Enda Hession (Garrymore) for Mullin, Aiden Orme (Knockmore) for Doherty, 26. Jack Carney (Kilmeena) for Loftus , 10. Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore) for Coen, 22. Darren McHale for Carr

Galway

1. Conor Gleeson (Dunomre McHales)

2. Liam Silke (Corofin), 3. Séan Kelly (Maigh Cuillinn), 4. Jack Glynn (Claregalway)

 5. Dylan McHugh (Corofin), 6. John Daly (Mountbellew-Moylough), 7. Kieran Molloy (Corofin)

 8. Paul Conroy (St James), 9. Matthew Tierney (Oughhterard)

10. Finnian Ó’Laoí (An Spidéal), 11. Niall Daly (Kilconly), 12. Johnny Heaney (Killannin)

13. Robert Finnerty (Salthill-Knocknacara), 14. Damien Comer (Annaghdown), 15. Shane Walsh (Kilkerrin-Clonberne)

Subs: 21. Patrick Kelly (Mountbellew-Moylough) for Niall Daly, 18. Cillian McDaid (Moivea Abbey) for Ó’Laoí, 25. Dessie Conneely (Maigh Cullin) for Finnerty, 22. Paul Kelly (Maigh Cullin) for Tierney, 17. Johnny McGrath (Caherlistrane) for (Jack Glynn)