Galway 1-12
Mayo 0-11

DAMIEN COMER FIRED Galway into the EirGrid Connacht U21 football final as 1-5 from the Annaghdown clubman disposed of Mayo at Elverys McHale Park yesterday.

In a typical clash between these western giants, three black cards and a late red for Mayo’s Patrick Durcan were thrown into the mix in an entertaining end-to-end game with Galway booking a place in Easter Saturday’s decider against Roscommon.

Galway were 0-4 to 0-1 ahead midway through the first half thanks to scores from a Gary Kelly free, Michael Day and Comer’s double but Mayo then drew level thanks to Stephen Coen’s neat brace and Conor Loftus.

Both sides lost Diarmuid O’Connor and Johnny Heaney to black cards just before Galway hit the net when Conor Cunningham’s slicing pass was collected by Comer and he made no mistake to fire past Matthew Flanagan.

Comer and Brannigan saw out the half for the 2013 All-Ireland winners to see them lead 1-6 to 0-5 at the break in front of 1,590 enjoying the Mayo sun.

After the restart James Durcan and Gary Kelly swapped early scores before Brannigan and another Comer double saw Galway pull further clear before their captain was black carded for hauling Adam Gallagher to the deck.

But Comer’s dismissal was too little, too late for Mayo as late frees from James Durcan were not enough, as his brother Patrick was red carded late on and Brian Reape’s injury time goal was disallowed for a push in the back in the buildup.

Scorers for Galway: Damien Comer 1-5 (0-1 ’45), Gary Kelly 0-3 (0-1f), Eamon Brannigan 0-2, Michael Day and Conor Cunninghamm 0-1 each.

Scorers for Mayo: James Durcan 0-4 (0-4f), Stephen Coen and Adam Gallagher 0-2 each, Darren McHale, T.J Byrne, Conor Loftus 0-1 each.

GALWAY

1. Tadhg O’Malley (Leitirmore)

2. Eoghan Kerin (Annaghdown)
3. Jack Wyndham (Carraroe)
4. Kieran Molloy (Corofin)

5. Johnny Heaney (Killanin)
6. Adrian Nolan (Killererin)
7. Liam Silke (Corofin)

8. Michael Day (Headford)
9. Dylan Corbett (Headford)

10. Enda Tierney (Oughterard)
11. Damien Comer (Annaghdown)
12. Colin Brady (Corofin)

13. Michael Daly (Mounbellew-Moylough)
14. Gary Kelly (Williamstown)
15. Eamon Brannigan (St. Michael’s)

Subs
23. Conor Cunningham (Corofin) for Heaney (black card) (23)
21. Eoin Finnerty (Mountbellew-Moylough) for Daly (38)
22. Paul Mannion (Kilconly) for Comer (black card) (53)
20. Joe Donnellan (Cortoon Shamrocks) for Brannigan (60)

MAYO

1. Matthew Flanagan (Balla)

2. Michael Hall (Breaffy)
3. David Kenny (Aghamore)
4. James Stretton (Claremorris)

5. Patrick Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels)
6. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore)
7. Sean Regan (Ballina Stephenites)

8. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber)
9. Val Rougneen (Balla)

19. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)
11. Adam Gallagher (Mayo Gaels)
12. Darren McHale (Knockmore)

17. Kevin Lynch (Mayo Gaels
14. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina)
15. James Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels)

Subs

20. Michael Plunkett (Ballintubber) for McHale (9)
13. Cian Burke (Ballymun Kickhams) for Lynch (21)
10. T.J Byrne (Kiltimagh) for O’Connor (black card) (22)
22. Eoghan Lavin (Kiltimagh) for Rougneen (31)
18. Eddie Doran (Achill) for Stretton (49)
21. Brian Reape (Moy Davitts) for Plunkett (49)

Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon)

- This article was originally published on 21 March at 7.19pm

UL turned on the style against DCU to retain the O’Connor Cup

Further setback for Davy Fitz as another player is set to leave his Clare panel