Spirited Galway continue revival

Galway 1-14Dublin 0-14

by Frank Farragher

NO Galway supporter leaving Parnell Park on Saturday evening even vaguely dared to mention anything by way of All-Ireland aspirations, but all of them acknowledged the spirit and resilience of a side that managed to extract a rare success over Dublin in their own backyard.

Overall this was a curious experience. For the first 20 minutes Galway looked to be on the very precipice of one almighty hiding as Dublin started at breakneck pace . . . and yet when the half-time whistle sounded, Joe Kernan’s side enjoyed a double scores advantage.

It was an open and entertaining 70 minutes of football with a real flow to some of the play, helped to some extent by two defences in need of serious tightening up before the acid test of the championship arrives. 

The victory though was a sweet one for all Galway fans with sullen memories ingrained in their subconscious of morale shattering defeats at the hands of Dublin — now, back to back league successes over the Leinster champions, is something to be stored away in the satisfaction locker.

When Galway trailed by three points to nil after six minutes, and 5-1 midway through the first half, the omens were far from good — into the bargain the Dubs could have been out of sight had their finishing been a tad more clinical.

The Galway management administered early medicine with Donal O’Neill replacing Damien Burke in an effort to tighten up the half backline while Paul Conroy came on for Barry Cullinane to add a bit more mobility around the midfield sector.

The changes did make a difference and at the other end of the pitch Eoin Concannon showed loads of composure when chances presented themselves from play and frees — but on the half hour mark, the game was to dramatically swing the way of Galway.

Prior to that, a series of long balls had been delivered into the Dublin square with nil impact but eventually Fiachra Breathnach got his hands to one of them before sneaking a low shot past Stephen Cluxton from just a few yards out.

Galway, after an horrendous start, now found themselves 1-4 to 0-5 in front, and it was a score which rocked Dublin to the core — all of their early dominance had been wiped out over the course of a 10 minute period and worse was to come for the home side.

Nicky Joyce pointed to two frees — one of them a very sweet strike from under the stand — with Gareth Bradshaw also dissecting the posts from 45 yards out.

It was a fitting reward for Bradshaw’s first half endeavours, as when Galway really had their backs to the wall and were being put to the sword in defence, the Moycullen clubman showed admirable dash and courage to lift the siege on a number of occasions.

Roused on by the 5,000 strong home crowd, Dublin were always going to come again in the second half and with 14 minutes left they had built up a real head of steam when drawing level at 1-10 to 0-13.  

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.