Galway League turn the screw in second-half

Galway League 4Roscommon League 2

Mike Rafferty

AFTER a low key first-half, the Galway League finally got their act together when a blast of second half goals was enough to see off Roscommon in the Oscar Traynor Cup at Deacy Park on Saturday night.

It was a first game for each side in the campaign and for 45 minutes, it looked like neither team wanted to score as a poor quality contest was providing little excitement. However, some harsh words from manager Tommy Lally in the Galway dressing room at the interval saw the home side restart with a new sense of urgency and a quick early brace was a reward for their new intensity.

The opening half was a game of contrasts as the visitors with a five man midfield probably used the ball better and created a little more space for themselves as Darragh Concannon, Darren Clabby and Danny Browne impressed.

At every opportunity, they tried to bring in wide men, Greg Grogan and Aidan Dooney, but while they got little latitude from John Egan and David McDonagh, they seemed to have more of a pattern and method about them.

If the home side struggled to put passes together in an opening half in which nothing was created at either end, the resumption was a different story as Eric Browne got his head to a Ger Cheevers corner on 51 minutes to put Galway ahead.

They doubled their lead just four minutes later when Barry Moran got the better of Aidan Fallon with a shot from outside the box for a 2-0 advantage.

Roscommon responded in remarkable fashion and after a double substitution, it was James Connaughton who pulled one back when he slid a Greg Grogan delivery past the advancing Daragh Geraghty. The Ballymoe player was also involved in the equaliser, when he set up Ger Fagan in the box and from close range, he levelled matters. 

The response of the home side was impressive and with a minute Keith Ward put the them 3-2 ahead with a shot from outside the box and they sealed the victory moments later when Tommy Walsh fired home a rebound, after his initial shot was pushed away by Fallon.

Galway: Geraghty, Egan, McDonagh, McHugh (Inj. Lee 72mins), Browne, Cheevers, Lee (Walsh 59mins), Ward, Forde (Holland 63mins), Cunningham, Moran.

FAI JUNIOR CUPPenalties proved to be the downfall of Kiltullagh as they exited the FAI Junior Cup when going down by 3-2 in a shoot out against Knocknacarra at Cappagh Park on Sunday morning.

After sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw, they could only hit the target on two occasions from five efforts as just as just Adrian Miskella and Shane Caufield scored, while Johnny Creaven (wide), Sean O’Donovan (crossbar) and Pat O’Donovan (saved) will have to practice their penalty taking a little more.

Meanwhile, Danny Marnell, Radis Rimica and Iarlaith Duignan were all on the mark for Knocknacarra, with just Taisce Gillespie failing to get the better of Mike O’Donovan, who made a smart save.Generally, the home side were the more creative throughout, but a Darren Jordan shot that tested the woodwork was the closest they went to a reward in the opening half.

On the resumption, Marnell should have done better when through with just O’Donovan to beat and then against the run of play, Kiltullagh made the breakthrough.

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.