Galway 1-17; Mayo 1-15
Galway won the battle but only time will tell if they win the war. Yes, they joined the great side of 1963-66 who won four Connacht titles in succession by emerging victorious by two points at Castlebar on Sunday, but has their victory landed them in a Group of Death as they face into the Sam Maguire series?
For instance their first game in the next phase is to welcome Dublin to Pearse Stadium while Mayo, Sunday’s losers, are at home to Cavan.
To complete the next series, Padraic Joyce’s men have the losers of Donegal/Armagh to face as well as a tricky Derry team who blow hot and cold in equal measure these days.
Mayo have the winners of the Ulster final, probably Donegal who they always seem to be able to handle, as well as Tyrone, who are improving, but again who always find Kevin McStay sides a handful.
We will know by early June whether Galway experienced a pyrrhic victory on Sunday or if their winning run will help improve them as they go forward seeking to go one better than last year’s All Ireland final loss to Armagh.
I think it is now or never for this Joyce-managed side. The squad has grown and the injection of big men and tricky players into their attack means they can function and win without their double talismanic force of Shane Walsh and Damien Comer. Now, who would have thought that possible two years ago? And Johnny Heaney is also on the mend to give them more options going forward.
The big wind in Castlebar meant it was a game of two halves with Galway overcoming a period of Mayo dominance in the first half to lead by eight points at the break. That was largely due to the brilliance of Footballer of the Year Paul Conroy, who kicked three two-pointers, one a free, at a vital time to restore his team’s confidence and competence.
To their credit, Mayo fought back with Ryan O’Donoghue leading the charge and had drawn level with 15 minutes to go - leaving the big crowd in expectant mood for the remainder of the game.
It didn’t disappoint as the outstanding Conroy, who else?, and sub Liam Ó Conghaile shot massive scores to edge the holders two in front.
It wasn’t over there as Mayo came all guns blazing but were stymied by wides from sub Paul Towey twice, Jordan Flynn and a goal chance spurned by defender Enda Hession, which a player with forward instincts would have placed away from Conor Gleeson.
It wasn’t over still for the crowd of 27,137 as like a boxer desperately seeking a big last round, Mayo drove forward once more and the chance of a levelling two-pointer fell to midfielder Matthew Ruane, whose shot from the right drifted agonizingly wide from his perspective.
Both sides finished with black cards and 14 men as Colm Reape’s short kickout with eight minutes left forced Rory Brickenden to foul Rob Finnerty, resulting in exclusion for the rest of the game.
A black card ending was the lot of Matthew Tierney in the dying moments, when he committed a professional foul to delay Mayo going forward. Mayo had one chance to survive but Ruane’s wide of indicative of their day - nearly men yet again.
Their early goal from Darren McHale in the seventh minute had them ahead by 1-2 to 0-2 but by half-time they had drifted out of the game, trailing by 1-11 to 1-3.
That’s why Mayo are such a compulsive team to watch. When you expect them to kick on, they don’t; when they look out of a game, they burst back into contention while invariably failing to get the job done.
They will bring us on a few more roller-coaster rides before the early summer is out, but who wouldn’t want them lighting up our TV screens.
As for Galway - get the injured players back and no team has a better panel to attack the business end of the season.
Galway: C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, S Mulkerrin, L Silke; P Conroy (0-7, 2tp, 1tpf), S Kelly (0-1); C Darcy, J Maher, C McDaid (0-2); M Tierney (1-2, 1-0 pen), R Finnerty (0-4, 0-3fs), M Thompson Subs: C Sweeney for Maher (HT); K Molloy for Fitzgerald (41); C Hernon for Mulkerrin (48); P Cooke for Sweeney (61); L Ó Conghaile (0-1) for Thompson (66)
Mayo: C Reape (0-1, '45); J Coyne, D McHugh, E Hession; R Brickenden, D McBrien, S Coen; D O’Connor, M Ruane (0-2, 1tp); D Neary (0-1), D McHale (1-2), J Flynn; A O’Shea, J Carney, R O’Donoghue (0-9, 1tp, 6fs) Subs: S Callinan for McBrien (9, inj); P Towey for O’Connor (HT); F Boland for Neary (60); F Kelly for McHale (66).
Ref: P Neilan (Roscommon).
GAA RESULTS
Connacht SFC final
Galway 1-17 Mayo 1-15
Munster SFC final
Kerry 4-20 Clare 0-21
Munster SHC round 3
Limerick 0-28 Waterford 0-22
GAA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 10
Ulster SFC final
Armagh v Donegal, Clones, 5.25pm
Munster SHC round 3
Clare v Tipperary, Cusack Park Ennis, 6pm
Leinster SHC Round 3
Kilkenny V Offaly, UPMC Nowlan Park, 6.00pm
Antrim V Dublin, Corrigan Park, 4.00pm
Galway V Wexford, Pearse Stadium Galway, 3.15pm
Tailteann Cup Round 1
Wexford v Longford, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 6.30pm
Kildare v Leitrim, Cedral St Conleth's Park, 5pm
Laois v Waterford, Laois Hire O'Moore Park, 3pm
Offaly v Wicklow, Glenisk O'Connor Park, 1.30pm
Limerick v London, Rathkeale, 1pm
Joe McDonagh Cup
Westmeath v Down, TEG Cusack Park, 2.30pm
Carlow v Kildare, Netwatch Cullen Park, 2pm
Sunday, May 11
Leinster SFC final
Meath v Louth, Croke Park, 4.15pm
Tailteann Cup Round 1
Westmeath v Antrim, TEG Cusack Park, 2pm
Fermanagh v Carlow, Brewster Park, 2pm
Sligo v Tipperary, Tubbercurry, 1.30pm
Joe McDonagh Cup
Laois v Kerry, Laois Hire O'Moore Park, 4pm
