All square in first round

Sligo and Galway draw

GALWAY 0-11 SLIGO 2-5

SLIGO’S minor footballers were denied the victory that an outstanding performance deserved when Galway’s scoring talisman Killian Joyce stepped up to point an equaliser with 15 seconds of added time remaining in the first round of the Connacht minor championship in Tuam Stadium on Friday last.

Despite the low scoring and it being played in cold, wet and windy conditions this was a gripping encounter to which both sides contributed handsomely from start to finish.

The Yeats County had established their winning position through a brilliantly organised defensive display that showed a maturity well beyond their years.

From there, with some swift transitions and highly efficient finishing, the Yeats county will have left the Galway venue frustrated not to have taken the win.

The home side started with the firm breeze and intermittent rain behind them playing into the town end of the ground and they got the perfect start when corner forward Luke Dempsey pointed from the first move of the game.

Despite holding possession for long periods however, the Tribesmen would wait a full 30 minutes before getting their second point from play – a neat finish under pressure from centre forward Joyce who had also finished a free mid way through the half.

The did gave nine wides in the half but all shots from distance and all delivered under pressure as Sligo dictated the shape of the game, protected their scoring zone quite brilliantly and restricted their opponents to pot shots from distance.

Sligo on the other hand were the definition of efficiency. They had just gone two points down after Joyce’s pointed free on 14 minutes when centre forward Niall Duffy, Sligo’s top scorer on the evening pointed a free off the ground from 40m into the wind to open his side’s account.

Duffy repeated that eight minutes later – this time from the hand - to bring his side level after Adam Feeney was fouled.

It then got better for Sligo as Conor McDonagh delivered long ball into the edge of the square from a free to see Marc Clifford get out in front, win the ball and turn his man playing the ball off his right foot before a low left footed delivery to the net to put Sligo three points up with four minutes to half time. Joyce’s second point left the half time margin at two but it would have been Sligo much the happier at that point in the game.

Galway started the second half with intent and they might have hoped that the Sligo resolve would wane when wing back Patrick Brady, who was a key part of his side’s defensive effort was shown a black card just three minutes into the half. The men in black hardly missed a beat and actually added to their lead in the minutes that they were reduced.

Firstly Niall Duffy pointed a free, off the ground from the 45m line and although wing forward Charlie Killeen and Joyce got two quick scores from play the home side were rocked back when Sligo’s athletic midfielder McDonagh once again found a man inside the Galway defence with a long free kick delivery that was expertly finished to the net by the light footed Adam Feeney.

Duffy and Galway full forward Niall De Paor then exchanged pointed frees to leave the visitors three points up half way through the half.

Galway had much the greater share of the possession in the last quarter of the game but Sligo were more than stubborn in defence that left the home side snatching at their chances.

Luke Dempsey got his second of the game when he toe poked the ball over after it broke from a high ball over the square. Galway captain Charlie Killeen likewise added his second from a good run after he was played in by Cian Rafferty.

The home side only had one sight of goal in the game but with three minutes to go, Sligo keeper Gareth Cummins made an excellent save to keep his goal intact and Sligo ahead.

Joyce eventually found a way through to fashion an equaliser as the game entered its last minute,

Not content to rest on their laurels Sligo went for the win as four minutes added time was announced, McDonaghy winning the kick out, transferring quickly to substitute Conor Langan who was fouled and Duffy again stepped up to unerringly convert the free

The play swung from side to side in that added time and just as the clock was running out, Galway managed to work the ball to their key man Joyce who converted to snatch his side a draw.

At that point in the game it would have been unfair to see either side lose but Sligo will rightly feel that they deserved more for a magnificent effort over the 65 minutes played.

Galway: Jamie King; Donnacha Naughton, Sean Martyn, Ethan Forde; Cian Rafferty, Tiarnan Proulx, Brian O’Malley; Richard McGrath, Michael Leahy; Ronan Duggan, Killian Joyce (0-6 3f), Charlie Killeen (0-2); Sean Costello, Niall DePaor (0-1,f), Luke Dempsey (0-2)

Subs: Eoinín O’Cualain for Costello (HT), Shay Rabbittee for Rafferty

Sligo: Gareth Cummins; Conor Murray, Noah Phillips, Sean Murphy; James Lavin, Alex Lillie, Patrick Brady; Cian Nicholson, Conor McDonagh; Eoin Finnerty, Niall Duffy (0-5 5f), Danny Woodrow; Cathal Gilligan, Marc Clifford (1-0), Adam Feeney (1-0)

Subs: Conor Langan for Feeney (42m), Aaron Healy for Marc Clifford (51m) Matthew Walsh for Woodrow (52m), Dante Currid for Murray (55m)

Referee: Brendan Healy.