The statistics blow up in faces of Galway footballers

STATISTICS don’t win matches as Galway footballers discovered to their cost when sent tumbling out of the Connacht championship at Markievicz Park last Saturday evening. The Tribesmen may never have lost a replay to Sligo before but that record finally fell by the wayside against Kevin Walsh’s rejuvenated charges.

Galway would also have drawn comfort from the fact that team manager Joe Kernan had never suffered defeat in a replay either when stewarding the sideline with Crossmaglen Rangers and Armagh, but Sligo’s overall tenacity ensured that tradition went out the window as they pulled off an improbable victory thanks to a late points scoring surge.

When substitute Paul Conroy angled over a disputed point in the 68th minute to put Galway two clear, the game appeared up for the home team, but Sligo remained unflustered and, in a welter of excitement, landed three unanswered points to snatch the spoils and set up a only the second ever Connacht final showdown with Roscommon.

On an evening of high tension, substitute Colm McGee emerged as the toast of Sligo when raising the match-winning white flag even if there was some question about the validity of the score as many observers in the crowd of over 12,00 thought the ball had drifted wide. At least, there was no doubt about Sligo’s resolve and the Division Three League champions deserve to be in the provincial decider. 

Ultimately, the pre-match debate centred on an incident early in the second-half when Galway led by three points. Awarded a sideline ball about 35 yards out from his own posts, defender Gareth Bradshaw had what can only be described as a rush of blood to the head in trying to find his goalkeeper, Adrian Faherty. The wind affected the flight of the ball and the ever-alert David Kelly intercepted the pass before finding the Galway net.

It was a giveaway goal and threw Sligo a lifeline when Galway seemed to be taking control. Though they quickly re-established that three point advantage with Bradshaw admirably winning a free for a Sean Armstrong point virtually straight from the kick out, the manner in which Galway conceded the game’s only goal had to have rattled them.

Having lost both Michael Meehan and Finian Hanley to early second-half leg injuries, it was the last thing Galway needed and though they displayed no shortage of character with Joe Bergin, Armstrong, Padraic Joyce, who was again a class apart up front, and raiding wing back Gary O’Donnell all raising second-half white flags, they had little answer to Sligo’s power-packed finish.

Overall, there was a lot more cut and thrust to Galway’s performance compared to six days previously. Joe Bergin, who was prone to fouling, and Niall Coleman weren’t doing too badly in the midfield exchanges in the opening-half while the tireless Matthew Clancy was getting onto a lot of breaking ball. Joyce was also causing problems on the edge of the square.

But Sligo were up for the challenge too and though facing the blustery wind, they began well with the likes of Adrian Marren and Alan Costello picking off invaluable early points to settle a team which must have been still agonising over letting Galway off the hook the previous Sunday in Pearse Stadium. The experienced Mark Breheny was already an influential presence on the forty and he proved central to Sligo’s victory. 

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.