Galway League crush Mayo rivals to advance in FAI Inter-League Cup

Galway League 6Mayo League 1

While Ryan Manning might have made the greatest impact with his hat-trick, this was a contest that left a lasting impression as Galway advanced to the knockout stages of the FAI Youth Inter League at Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night.

An away win over Clare in their opening contest set up the Tribesmen nicely for this contest, and backboned by eight players from Mervue United they certainly made a mark on the small attendance.

The home side were in control from the opening minute when Manning and Richard Fahy tested Colm Reape in the Mayo goal, and only a goal-line clearance by Mark Howley kept a Colin Brady header out moments later.

That early impact set a pattern as Galway attacked throughout, but only had a slender goal advantage to show for all their opening half efforts, when Padraig Cunningham got his head to a Dillon Murphy delivery to make it 1-0 on 36 minutes.

However the visual impact created was leaving a longer impression and they were worthy of more than one reward.

Central midfield matched Richard Fahy and Shane Connaughton and the duo were a joy to watch.

Fahy provided the thrust, power and go forward momentum, while Connaughton was neat and economical in a holding role and his passing was crisp and neat and always to a colleague.

Alongside Aaron McDonagh and Dillon Murphy, they laid the foundation for the win and with attackers Manning and Padraig Cunningham sharing seven goals in the two games played, they proved to be more than a handful for the visitors rearguard.

Mind you, an understrength Mayo side were no slouches and could twice have made the breakthrough when the tie was scoreless.

Ray Nugent brought a smart close range save from James Healy on 17 minutes, while the impressive Liam Flatley fired wide when through with just the goalkeeper to beat on the half hour mark.

However, Reape was by far the busier custodian and he was rescued by a post on 40 minutes, when Fahy struck timber after latching on to a McDonagh delivery.

Galway struck a crucial early blow on the restart, as not a minute had elapsed when Manning took down a Connaughton pass on his chest, before turning and drilling a cracking effort beyond Reape for a 2-0 advantage.

The striker and Fahy followed up with other efforts to test Reape, while at the other end Healy’s goal was abuzz with activity as Flatley twice and Mike Jennings also went close to a breakthrough for the visitors.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.