JOYCE HAS PRAISE FOR SLIGO
RESULTS
CONNACHT GAA SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Played on Saturday, April 6
Played on Sunday, April 7
Played on Saturday, April 20
warning for Sligo but when Niall Murphy pointed with class in the 58th minute, from a Patrick O’Connor assist, Sligo’s lead was three points, 0-14 to 0-11.
Galway still had Robert Finnerty showing the required level of appetite and skill – his point after 56 minutes was a beauty – but this score was sandwiched by shots from Paul Conroy that dropped short.
Even with Sligo not scoring from the 58th minute onwards, they were still applying themselves in the right way and creating chances.
It was a pain, though, that Niall Murphy would twice go close without finding the target and later on, shortly after Galway’s goal, substitute Lee Deignan saw a kick that went only inches wide of being a white flag score.
While Sligo were into game management mode, with the clock now on their side, Galway were just about keeping in touch via scores from substitute Kieran Molloy and the industrious Cein Darcy.
This contest was into additional time when Sligo made a fatal error. Eddie McGuinness, excellent throughout, lost possession and Galway were merciless in how they exploited this unforeseen situation.
Damien Comer gave the ball to
GALWAY manager Padraic Joyce believes Sligo have a terrific opportunity of impacting in this year’s Tailteann Cup.
Joyce, pictured, saw at firsthand what gritty Sligo are all about after his charges escaped from Markievicz Park with an illdeserved two-point win on Saturday last. “They’ve a great chance [in the Tailteann Cup], we’ve seen their improvement and we also noticed what they’ve done at U-20 level.
“Even in last year’s Connacht final they were with us for the first 20 or 25 minutes until we got a couple of goals to pull away.”
He continued: “Sligo are a work in progress and the lads with them [management] are doing great work and they have players coming through.”
When reflecting on his side’s narrow semi-final win, a result that sets up a potential humdinger with Mayo, Joyce was brutally honest. “We know we were lucky to get out of it – the lads worked the goal well when the easy option was to punch it over the bar. There was a killer instinct which was pleasing.
“But, overall, we aren’t happy with the way we played. We let Sligo boss the game, control the game and they were unlucky that they didn’t see it out.
The Galway manager added: “Sligo played a lot of the game on their terms and we couldn’t live with that for a while.
“We had our tactics but you can’t apply a game plan when you are not tuned in. At least we live to fight another day but that performance wasn’t good enough.”
SEMI-FINAL: Sligo 0-14, Galway 1-13 Played on Sunday, April 21
SEMI-FINAL: Roscommon 0-13, Mayo 1-15
FIXTURES
CONNACHT GAA SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Sunday, May 5
Johnny Heaney and he set up Robert Finnerty for a simple goal finish.
Sligo had one more chance – Lee Deignan’s point attempt – and that was that.
This was one of the cruellest losses ever for a Sligo team in the Connacht
GAA Football
Championship.
It is rare that a Galway team leaves Markievicz Park in disbelief at having evaded defeat.
Sligo were equally stunned at how they lost this one. And they say that the provincial championships are no longer invigorating, eh?
Football
Best for Sligo: Patrick O’Connor
Sligo: Aidan Devaney, Eddie McGuinness, Evan Lyons, Paul McNamara, Darragh Cummins (0-1), Brian Cox, Nathan Mullen (0-1), Patrick O’Connor (0-3), Paul Kilcoyne, Cian Lally (0-1), Alan McLoughlin (0-2), Canice Mulligan (0-1), Mikey Gordon (01), Niall Murphy (0-3, 1f, 1 ‘mark’), Sean Carrabine (0-1)
Subs used: Lee Deignan for Mikey Gordon (52), Mark Walsh for Cian Lally (62), Peter Laffey for Darragh Cummins (65), Eoghan Smith for Sean Carrabine (67), Donal Conlon for Patrick O’Connor (70+1)
Subs not used: Daniel Lyons (gk), Daire O’Boyle, Dylan Walsh, Keelan Cawley, Brian Callaghan, Luke Casserly
Galway: Connor Gleeson, Sean Fitzgerald, Johnny McGrath, Jack Glynn, Dylan McHugh (0-1), John Daly, Liam Silke, Paul Conroy, Cein Darcy (0-2), Sean Kelly, Johnny Heaney (0-1), Liam Ó Conghaile, Jack McCabe, Robert Finnerty (1-5, 1f), Shane Walsh (0-1)
Subs used: Damien Comer (0-2) for Jake McCabe (42), Cillian Ó Curraoin for Shane Walsh (47), Daniel O’Flaherty for John
Daly (55), Kieran Molloy (0-1) for Liam O’Conghaile (58), Patrick Egan for Paul Conroy (64)
Subs not used: Conor Flaherty (gk),
Sean Mulkerrin, Eoin Kelly, Diarmuid Kilcommons, Niall Daly, Rory Cunningham Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin) Attendance: 4,597 pictured.
GALWAY
THE Tribesmen have another provincial final to look forward to – it is nine years since they were not in a Connacht final – and they’ll take on Mayo in the decider on Sunday week, May 5. Galway last played their arch-rivals in a Nestor Cup showdown in 2021, with Mayo booking their slot thanks to last Sunday’s five-point defeat of Roscommon at Dr Hyde Park.