Galway’s goals help to carry the day in a stirring league decider

ROSCOMMON 0-15

A STIRRING contest and one played out at a quite brisk pace for the closing week of January, with two Galway goal strikes proving to be the critical difference between the sides in this entertaining FBD Connacht League football final at Kiltoom on Sunday.

Early doors it might be in the context of the 2017 football season, but it was obvious from the opening exchanges that both sides have been far from idle over the past couple of months as they prepare for crucial upcoming National League campaigns.

Little separated the sides in terms of possession and chance creation but Galway held that vital edge as regards being a measure more clinical when it came to the conversion of goal chances at vital junctures of the match.

Kevin Walsh does appear to have a decent choice in terms of lively and scoring forwards and while the Roscommon backs were a lot tighter and tougher than Galway’s earlier FBD opponents, the mixture of pace and quick lay-offs carved open the home defence on more than a few occasions.

Roscommon set out their stall in this match during the opening 14 minutes when points from Donie Smith (3), Cian Connolly and Fintan Cregg powered them into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead while the highly energised Johnny Heaney – relishing his return to an attacking wing back role – replied twice for Galway with neat scores.

The Roscommon spectators in the estimated crowd of 1,500 were now in full voice, but that was all to change after 15 minutes, in the first of two defining moments of the match, when Galway attacked with real pace and intent.

Paul Conroy, Sean Armstrong and Barry McHugh were involved in a move that ended with Monivea-Abbey’s Cillian McDaid shooting low to the back of the Roscommon net, although goalie Darren O’Malley did get a touch to the ball but not enough to keep it out.

That score put Galway 1-3 to 0-5 ahead and when Tom Flynn and Barry McHugh (the Mountbellew man just shaved the bar from close range) tacked on quick points, the balance of the match had changed completely with the visitors cementing a lead that they never subsequently lost.

Roscommon fought back sternly and continued to give the Galway full backline problems with a last gasp interception from Declan Kyne denying Kevin McStay’s charges a certain goal early in the second quarter.

Sean McDermott tore up from corner back to shoot an inspirational Roscommon point from the right sideline after Paul Conroy had been ‘robbed’ further upfield but Galway finished the half quite strongly with points from Barry McHugh (2 frees) and one from Gareth Bradshaw.

Ahead by 1-8 to 0-7 at the break, Roscommon responded to their position of difficulty with the introduction of three subs – Enda Smith, David Murray and Conor Devaney coming in for Fintan Cregg, John McManus and Shane Killoran.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.