Inconsistent Galway blow a winning hand against Meath

Galway 0-15

IT turned into a bit of a dogfight in Páirc Tailteann on Sunday, with the more streetwise home side leaving it late to secure a hard-fought win.

Not only did Meath want it more – they needed it more. That was abundantly clear. A loss would have plunged Andy McEntee’s charges into Division Two relegation trouble. This one-point result now means mathematically they’re back in the mix for elevation to the top flight, and it also sows doubts about Galway’s promotional push.

A Meath victory looked implausible with 10 minutes or so to go.  Kilkerrin/Clonberne’s Shane Walsh had just kicked his side’s thirteenth point of the day, from distance, which came hot on the heels of an impressive white flag from Paul Conroy.

Galway had rediscovered their mojo, their tails were up, and Walsh’s was their fifth score on the trot without reply, having wrestled control of the midfield sector and kick-outs.

After the visitors turned a four points half-time deficit (0-4 to 0-8) into a three points advantage (0-13 to 0-10), it looked for all the world that Galway would kick for home, and Meath would settle for an honourable defeat.

Perhaps they thought they had it won. But Meath had other notions. Backs firmly against the wall, their survival instinct kicked-in in the last 10 minutes, when the Royals outscored their opponents by 1-3 to 0-2.

The game’s decisive score and only goal came from the boot of Donal Lenihan, a forward with genuine quality who continuously spooked the Galway rearguard. Centre-forward Cillian O’Sullivan created the opening with an inch-perfect pass to Lenihan, who turned defender Declan Kyne too easily, and struck a rasper, which gave goalkeeper Rory Lavelle no chance.

The goal wasn’t inevitable but in fairness it was coming. Just seconds earlier Galway looked exposed when Kyne had no option but to foul Sean Tobin close in, and the substitute tapped over the free himself to narrow the gap.

Those two sucker punches inside a minute turned the game on its head and really put it up to the Tribesmen. Substitute Johnny Heaney pointed to narrow the gap to the minimum, after a move that started when full-back David Walsh had blocked down a shot at the other end.

Galway tried hard but failed to clinch the equalising score – Conroy sent a difficult free wide, and Danny Cummins, who was lively upon his introduction, mishit an effort that went harmlessly off-target, before being black carded with corner back Donncha Tobin for ‘handbags’.

Galway probably deserved a draw, on the balance of play, and when they look back at the video, they will have regrets over missed chances earlier on.

Full report in this week's Connacht Tribune