Galway 0-20 Dublin 1-15
Dublin manager Ger Brennan was philosophical about his own sending off and his team’s defeat which has led to relegation by stating that it wasn’t “the end of the world” in either case.
The St Vincent’s man, who led Louth to their first provincial success since 1957 last season, has tried to blend youth and experience this league campaign - and the experimentation has cost him Division One status for next year.
The Dubs entered the contest against Galway knowing a win by four points or more would ensure them of their status - instead while they led for much of the game, they were caught in the end and lost by two points top Padraic Joyce’s improving young outfit.
Their defeat means that Armagh stay up following their draw with All Ireland champions Kerry in the Athletic Grounds, having been 10 points in arrears at one stage of the game.
In Salthill the two teams played this final league game with something approaching championship fervor resulting in a big melee of players before the interval which Brennan got involved in and subsequently saw red for the intrusion.
Despite this it looked like the Dubs had done enough with 15 minutes to go when Killian McGinnis lashed home the game's only goal and with Ross McGarry quickly adding a point, they appeared to have made the game safe.
It was then that Galway showed their true colors with Cian Hernon and Rob Finnerty kicking some great scores and Finnerty’s two-pointer put Galway noses in front four minutes from the sound of the hooter.
That was the score that condemned Dublin - a last plunge of the dagger in the scoring stakes meaning the Metropolitans will now languish at Div 2 level for the first time in five seasons next year. However, that sojourn did them no harm as they came from that division to claim Sam Maguire in 2023 in what appears to have been a last hurrah for the nucleus of that panel.
Said the double All-Ireland winner Brennan on RTE after the game: “It's a league campaign with an awful lot of positives in terms of styles of play and in terms of what we’re trying to get across to the lads.
“In addition to that, you're looking at the personnel and the recruitment process we've gone through. So, there's been new changes to our matchday 26 from Round 1 to Round 7 with a bit more consistency coming in the last couple of games.
“Would you like to be in Division 1 next year? It would certainly help, but having had experience of being in Division 2 in the previous role for two seasons, it's also quite a competitive place.
"Dublin have won coming out of Division 2, Armagh have won coming out of Division 2. So, it's not the end of the world next year. In terms of this year's campaign and four weeks away from our first round in the Leinster Championship, it's very, very clear on what it is we're doing well and the areas we need to go after to improve,” he stressed.
Dublin keeper Hugh O'Sullivan saved a penalty from Rob Finnerty near the interval and the follow up saw Brennan banished to the stand for the second half while a player from each side - Galway’s Dylan McHugh and Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne of Dublin received black cards on the resumption.Later in the game Ó Cofaigh Byrne was shown a yellow which reduced the Dubs to 14 for the closing quarter.
Explained the Dublin boss: “Both sets of players were fairly worked up at half-time. They are passionate about their county, so it was a bit of push and shoving. There was probably something that I witnessed that I wasn't happy about from one of the Galway management. We've chatted and we've laughed and shook hands since. I think what I did was silly, in a bit of retaliation. But we've both agreed that what we both did was silly and we should leave players take care of their own business."
Galway manager Joyce emphasized his team’s fighting spirit as key to snatching victory at the death after having trailed for most of the game.
“It was a tough emotional day. We just focused on ourselves. We knew if we won the game, we were still in the division,” the Galway manager pointed out.
“We were up against it at half-time there. Losing Sean and Mattie in the first half, and missing a penalty before half-time. But the lads showed unbelievable character and great grit, which is in this group the last while. To eke out the win at the end is great for us.
“It's important for every county to survive. I think more so for us. We had four or five lads playing Connacht league football that only came into us last November for the first time. And they end up playing five or six league games up front for us.
"It's very important to stay there for development. Far better games and bigger crowds, so it's important.”|
Joyce, meanwhile, paid tribute to broadcaster Michael Lyster,
“He's from our own little village, Barna Dearg. He was a great guy. As we know, he brought so much joy to every household on a Sunday night or during the day. He had a great voice. He'll be sadly missed and our condolences to all his family.”
Galway: C Flaherty; J McGrath, C Hernon (0-2), J Glynn; L Silke, D McHugh, S Kelly; J Maher, M Tierney; S McGrath, K Molloy, C D’Arcy (0-1); R Finnerty (0-8, 0-2f, 1 tp), R Roche, O Mac Donnacha (0-4, 0-2f, 1tpf) Subs: S Ó Maoilchiaráin (0-1) for Kelly (20), PConroy (0-2, 1tp) for Molloy (29), C Mulhern for Molloy (30), L Ó Conghaile (0-1) for Roche (46), D O’Flaherty (0-1) for S McGrath (52).
Dublin: H O’Sullivan (0-2, 1tpf); D Byrne, N Doran, E Murchan; A Gavin, B Howard, E Kennedy; Pr Ó Cofaigh Byrne, C McMorrow; R McGarry (0-2), S Bugler (0-5, 1tp), N Scully; P Small, K McGinnis (1-3), C Kilkenny (0-1) Subs: N O’Callaghan (0-1) for Small (12), S MacMahon for Gavin (42), C O’Callaghan (0-1) for N O’Callaghan (44), L Smith for Byrne (58), J Lundy for McGarry (61), C O’Connor for Kennedy (64).
Ref: F Kelly (Longford).
GAA RESULTS
FL Division 1
Armagh 1-21 Kerry 0-24
Galway 0-20 Dublin 1-15
Mayo 4-26 Roscommon 2-11
Donegal 3-20 Monaghan 3-16
(Kerry and Donegal in Div 1 final - Dublin and Monaghan relegated)
FL Division 2
Derry 1-20 Cavan 0-19
Louth 1-25 Kildare 0-25
Meath 2-22 Offaly 0-18
Cork 0-22 Tyrone 0-19
(Cork and Meath promoted and into Div 2 final. Kildare and Offaly relegated)
FL Division 3
Laois 2-22 Down 0-24
Limerick 2-15 Fermanagh 0-20
Sligo 2-23 Clare 0-28
Wexford 2-16 Westmeath 1-18
(Down and Wexford promoted and into Div 3 final. Fermanagh and Limerick relegated)
FL Division 4
Antrim 0-18 London 1-14
Carlow 4-22 Leitrim 2-5
Longford 2-21 Wicklow 2-20
Tipperary 4-19 Waterford 0-18
(Carlow and Longford promoted and in Div 4 final.)
HL Division 1A
Cork 6-26 Offaly 0-20
Limerick 2-27 Galway 0-31
Tipperary 2-27 Kilkenny 3-24
(Limerick and Cork in Div IA final - Offaly and Waterford relegated)
HL Division 1B
Dublin 0-34 Carlow 2-14
Down 3-22 Antrim 3-20
Wexford 3-29 Kildare 1-14
(Clare and Dublin promoted and into Div IB final. Down and Carlow relegated)
HL Division 2
Laois 3-27 London 1-22
Westmeath 2-37 Mayo 1-14
Kerry 2-18 Meath 0-18
(Laois and Kerry promoted and play in Div 2 final. Mayo and Derry relegated)
HL Division 3
Armagh 0-21 Fermanagh 1-18
Donegal 3-20 Roscommon 0-19
Wicklow 3-27 Louth 0-11
(Wicklow and Donegal promoted and in Div 3 final. Armagh and Fermanagh relegated)
HL Division 4
Cavan 1-16 Monaghan 0-15
Warwickshire 1-17 Lancashire 2-12
Sligo 4-25 Longford 3-11
(Sligo and Longford promoted and will play Div 4 final)
Leinster U20 HC - Phase 1 Round 1
Meath 2-21 Antrim 1-17
Kildare 2-24 Kerry 0-15
Munster U20FC Phase 1 - Round 2
Tipperary 3-13 Limerick 2-9
Leinster MHC - Phase 1 Round 1
Antrim 5-20 Wicklow 0-15
Meath 2-15 Kildare 0-18
Laois 1-19 Kerry 0-15
Ladies NFL Division 1
Armagh 1-13 Kerry 2-8
Cork 4-8 Meath 2-12
Galway 3-13 Dublin 1-13
Waterford 2-10 Kildare 1-13
Ladies NFL Division 2
Monaghan 4-14 Wexford 1-10
Cavan 1-10 Tyrone 1-6
Mayo 6-10 Westmeath 1-14
Tipperary 0-7 Donegal 0-6
Ladies NFL Division 3
Antrim 2-21 Laois 1-17
Down 1-11 Limerick 1-5
Fermanagh 2-15 Clare 1-10
Louth 1-14 Roscommon 1-8
Ladies NFL Division 4
Offaly 3-18 Longford 2-12
Camogie League Division 1A
Galway 0-18 Cork 1-9
Kilkenny 2-18 Antrim 1-12
Tipperary 3-21 Waterford 1-18
Camogie League Division 1B
Clare 2-17 Offaly 2-11
Wexford 0-15 Down 0-10
Dublin 2-17 Limerick 2-8
Camogie League Division 2A
Kerry 4-14 Derry 0-9
Meath 0-17 Carlow 1-14
Laois 2-10 Westmeath 1-11
Camogie League Division 3A
Armagh 6-17 Wicklow 0-8
Kildare 0-19 Tyrone 1-14
Camogie League Division 3B final
Mayo 2-12 Monaghan 1-6
