Sweeney strike lifts Tribesmen out of mire
PETER Naughton blasted a second-half goal for Mayo but despite a threeman advantage they lost at home to Galway in MacHale Park.
This FBD League clash looked in trouble right up to throw-in but it got the goahead and was a hard-fought match featuring two sides looking for early season bragging rights.
Mayo were two points clear at the break after they played with the aid of a strong breeze in the first half, but the game turned on a couple of incidents in the second half and Patrick Sweeney’s goal in the 50th minute made the difference.
Galway had Damien Comer, Sean Mulkerrin and Sean Andy Ó Ceallaigh all sent off in the second half, but despite that they secured an impressive victory in Castlebar once again.
There was controversy last Sunday when a frozen pitch caused the postponement of the original fixture shortly after the scheduled throw-in.
But despite the dreadful underfoot conditions and constant rain, referee Paddy Neilan allowed this game to go ahead as planned.
And the hosts raced into a 0-8 to 0-6 half-time lead in a first half where Kevin McLoughlin starred and Shane Nally also looked on form with three stunning scores.
Despite the treacherous conditions both sides had positive starts and took the chances when they were on offer.
McLoughlin came into the Mayo side late before throw-in and scored their first point in the third minute.
Galway responded instantly through an effort from Patrick Sweeney but two brilliant points from Nally pushed last year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists out in front again.
It was a hugely physical opening quarter where Mayo had both Adam Gallagher and Ryan O’Donoghue yellowcarded, while Galway wing back Sean Kelly saw his shot crash back off the post.
Kevin Walsh’s side drew level through Paul Conroy and Eamonn Brannigan before Barry McHugh’s first free gave them the lead for the first time — 0-4 to 0-3 — in the 15th minute.
But Galway didn’t score again until injury-time at the end of the first half, while Mayo reeled off four points in a row.
Brian Reape had three wides before he scored a free in the 18th minute, and he scored twice more, while McLoughlin also found the range on two occasions.
Mayo were on top but they had a big wind at their backs and Galway dug deep to score points through Conroy and McHugh.
The Mountbellew-Moylough clubman missed a free just before half-time and the visitors trailed 0-8 to 0-6 at the interval.
The game was frantic at the start of the second half and an early bust-up saw Jason Gibbons, Eamon Brannigan and Paul Conroy all yellow carded.
Mayo got the first score of the second half and it looked to be a crucial one, when Knockmore clubman Naughton found the top corner of the Galway net after he was set up by Reape.
Mayo were 1-8 to 0-6 clear and looked set to cruise to victory but Galway finally hit their stride and their bench made the difference.
Padraic Cunningham scored their first point of the second half in the 41st minute and then Damien Comer was brought on.
Patrick Sweeney’s deflected effort finished in David Clarke’s goal before Comer gave Galway a 1-10 to 1-8 lead as they piled on the pressure.
But then Comer got a straight red card in the 56th minute when he was involved with Adam Gallagher.
Comer went but Galway kept up the pressure before Mulkerrin was shown red, when he got a black card having already been shown yellow earlier in the game.
Galway dropped deep and Ó Ceallaigh was also sent to the line in injury-time but somehow they held on.