Minors begin title defence with heavy loss to Galway

Connacht GAA MFC Round Two

Sligo 0-8

Galway 4-12

THE ONLY consolation for Sligo, losers by 16 points to Galway last Friday evening in the Connacht GAA Minor Football Championship, is that the teens Tribesmen are likely to inflict similar hammerings on everyone else in this competition.

Galway were simply electric in this Electric Ireland-sponsored championship, with their 4-12 to 0-8 win established thanks to two goals in the space of 60 seconds in the first-half at Markievicz Park. Éanna Monaghan, who scored 1-6, announced himself as the next rising star of Galway GAA. Sligo, brittle in the first-half yet a bit better in the second period, had been doing reasonably well in the opening 13 minutes. The defending champions, with seven of last year’s panel in their starting XV here, matched Galway’s early scores thanks to Ryan Gillespie’s good point from play and Ronan Niland’s converted free – the first of his five-point contribution (four of which came from frees). Galway already served a warning when their star, Éanna Monaghan, powered through for a goal shot that Sligo custodian, Diarmuid Henry, kept out.

Then, in the 14th minute, the game slipped away. A Galway attack led by Jack Lonergan looked to have been halted, with Sligo centre-back Tommy Ross getting a hand in, but the ball broke for Lonergan, who buried his side’s first goal.

A minute later Galway counter-attacked – following a Sligo turnover – and Owen Morgan set up Stephen Curley for a tasty finish. Trailing 2-2 to 0-2, Sligo were on the back foot and would remain so for the rest of this second round fixture. In order to eat into the deficit Sligo needed fewer turnovers, better ball into their inside forwards and more tackling to halt the Galway swarm. A 23rd minute black card for Galway midfielder Shay McGlinchey made no difference to proceedings.

There were eight points in it at halftime, 2-5 to 0-3, as only Galway’s poor shooting – with three of their six wides coming from Éanna Monaghan – keeping Sligo from being further behind. Sligo were much improved following the re-start – they could hardly get any worse – and three unanswered points, including scores from Ronan Niland (2) and Dillon Walsh, at least gave Galway something to think about. Imagine what a goal would have done for Sligo’s cause – Dillon Walsh and Robert O’Kelly-Lynch combined in the ninth minute, with Walsh’s low shot heading for the net only for Galway goalkeeper Kyle Gilmore’s save.

Although another pointed free from Ronan Niland – after a foul on Dillon Walsh – again brought Sligo to within five points of the visitors, 2-6 to 0-7, Galway remained in total control. Robert O’Kelly-Lynch landed a fine

point – he was now the fourth Sligo player to score – but Galway’s lead was eight points, 2-10 to 0-8, with 57 minutes played.

The winners added a further 2-2 in the last five minutes – Éanna Monaghan rattled the net after a poor Sligo kickout and substitute Olan

Kelly also goaled.

Sligo, underwhelming and overwhelmed, finished the second-half with five wides. Galway only kicked one wide in the second period which contrasted with their wastefulness of the opening half.

In difficult circumstances, attacker-turned-midfielder Dillon Walsh stood out, so too top scorer Ronan Niland and defender Ronan O’Hehir. Meanwhile, Sligo manager David Caffrey was obviously disappointed afterwards.

“A couple of things caught up on us – the fact that it was our first day out and it was Galway’s second game and they had a good first-half performance versus ours.

“We played with a little bit of trepidation and we made a few handling errors that they punished us for. A good side will punish you when you make those basic mistakes.” He continued: “We didn’t play with the confidence and ability that I know that we have.”

Sligo’s mini-recovery for the first 15 minutes or so of the second-half as least gave Caffrey optimism with games to come against Mayo (tomorrow, Friday), Leitrim (May 13) and Roscommon (May 20).

“That period of the game showed the levels that we can get to. We just have to translate that 20 minutes into 40 or 50 minutes in the next game.

“There will always be periods in a game that will go against you – we just have to be careful that we don’t concede heavily when that happens and then take advantage when we have our

good spells.”

He added: “I have no doubt but that we’ll give a good account of ourselves over out next three games. The Galway game wasn’t the result we wanted but it will stand to us.”

Best for Sligo: Dillon Walsh

Sligo: Diarmuid Henry, Ronan O’Hehir,

Oisin Conlon, Daniel King, Aaron O’Hara, Tommy Ross, Tom Bailey, Ryan Gillespie (01), Robert O’Kelly-Lynch (0-1), Conor Walsh, Ronan Niland (0-5, 4f), Conor Carty, Eli Rooney, Dillon Walsh (0-1), Shea O’Neill Subs used: Conor Flynn, James Foley, Aaron Mullen, James Golden

Subs not used: Ethan Carden (gk),

Rian O’Callaghan, Joe Campbell, Kevin Carnahan, Gavin Lynch

Galway: Kyle Gilmore, Adam Colleran,

Ryan Flaherty, Vinny Gill, Mark Mannion, Cillian Trayers, Ross Coen, Jack Lonergan (1-0), Shay McGlinchey, Sean Dunne, Éanna Monaghan (1-6, 4f), Owen Morgan (0-2), Stephen Curley (1-0), Colm Costello (0-4, 3f), Charlie Cox

Subs used: Padraic McNeela, Olan Kelly (10), Cian Molloy, Luke Carr, Cian Dolan Referee: Shane Corcoran (Mayo)