Tribe close in on top-tier return
Five-star Galway pull clear of Derry
AN astonishing match in which the lead switched back and forth saw Galway seize control and remain on course for a return to the top flight, after a six-year gap, and Derry in serious relegation trouble.
And yet when Derry led by six points approaching half-time there were notions that a win would see them come with a late promotion drive and, in the process, condemn Galway to another season in the second tier.
‘This League is crazy,’ said Derry manager Damian Barton. ‘If we had won today we would probably have gone third. You come out every day to win matches and we need to win our last two matches.’
The absence of their Slaughtneil contingent left their youthful defence exposed and Barton is hopeful some will return for the remaining two matches.
‘I hope they will be back but I don’t know when at this stage,” he added.
His men looked good for victory when they led by six points approaching half-time, with goalkeeper Thomas Mallon saving a penalty from Barry McHugh, either side of goals from Benny Heron and Emmet McGuckin.
But the key score of the match came Galway’s way just before the break when Tom Flynn soloed in from the right and drilled low to the net, cutting the gap to 2-10 to 2-7 at the interval.
Galway, bidding to bounce back from defeat away to Meath last time out, enjoyed a great start with a goal from Danny Cummins after just three minutes which put them 1-3 to 0-2 up after 12 minutes.
Derry’s surge yielded 1-5 on the bounce as they carved open the home defence, but Flynn’s goal gave Galway a fighting chance.
James Kielt extended Derry’s lead shortly after the restart but the Tribemen hit four in a row to level with Daly landing two excellent efforts.
Derry again responded, pulling three clear with efforts from Kielt, Carlus McWilliams and Tallon to lead by 2-14 to 2-11 going into the final quarter, but the hosts dominated from there.
Points from O’Donnell and Eamonn Brannigan cut the gap and they never looked back when Johnny Heaney fisted home a 60th-minute goal.
Brannigan slotted home Galway’s second penalty when Derry corner-back Oisín Hegarty was dismissed for a black card, having earlier been booked, and then impressive sub Shane Walsh blasted Galway’s fifth goal to seal the win.
There was still time for a late Derry penalty but Lavelle saved superbly from McGuckin, leaving the Tribesmen poised to return to the top flight.
‘There are not too many unbeaten teams left in the country at this stage,’ said Kevin Walsh. ‘Everyone has got chopped at some stage but that’s what the League is all about as well, how you respond to that. It’s about how you react.
‘We have our fate in our hands at this stage but others will feel they have it within their own grasp as well, so there is a fair to bit to go yet. Derry got a bit of oxygen in the first half from us not putting chances away but Tom Flynn’s goal before half-time was important for us.
‘It was good the way we responded, we got level again in the second half and they pulled three points in front but I was happy with the response. There were huge scores again after that,’ added Walsh.