Galway U20 football team announced for Connacht semi-final clash with Roscommon
KEVIN JOHNSON has named an unchanged Galway U20 Football team for their Connacht U20 Football Championship semi-final clash with Roscommon.
Johnson has stuck with the same starting XV that were defeated by Mayo 3-16 to 1-12 last week in round five of the Connacht U20 Football Championship. The action gets underway at 6:30pm in McHale Park, Castlebar with TG4 showing live coverage of the game.
Goalkeeper Brian Carroll lines out between the posts for his third championship start for the Tribesmen. The full-back line remains unchanged, with Daniel Hughes, Olan Kelly, and Vinnie Gill holding their places.
In the half-back line, Cian Rafferty is joined by Richard McGrath and Cian Mitchell. At midfield, Galway senior footballer Shay McGlinchey partners Patrick Keaney.
The half-forward line sees Ciaran Mulhern, who featured regularly for Pádraic Joyce’s side during the spring, named alongside Ross Coen and Maitiú Ó Domhnaill. Up front, the full-forward line is unchanged, with Eoinín Ó Cualáin, team captain Mikey Mulryan, and Matthew Collins.
There’s a welcome boost on the bench, as Ciaran McDonagh, who has struggled with injury throughout the Connacht U20 Football Championship, is included for the first time this year.
Galway come into the semi-final on the back of wins over Roscommon, Sligo, and Leitrim, with their only defeat in the round-robin series coming against Mayo. Roscommon, meanwhile, secured their semi-final spot with two victories over Sligo and Leitrim. The Rossies tasted defeats to Mayo and Galway in the group stages of the Connacht Championship.
The sides have already met in this year’s championship, with Galway winning 3-10 to 1-11 in the opening round. They meet again in the Connacht semi-final, with the winner set to face Mayo in the provincial final on Wednesday, April 29.
GALWAY: Brian Carroll (Oranmore Maree); Daniel Hughes (Claregalway), Olan Kelly (Annaghdown), Vinnie Gill (Corofin); Cian Rafferty (Corofin), Richard McGrath (Caherlistrane), Cian Mitchell (Tuam Stars); Shay McGlinchey (Tuam Stars), Patrick Keaney (Clifden); Ciaran Mulhern (Mountbellew-Moylough), Ross Coen (Corofin), Maitiú Ó Domhnaill (An Cheathrú Rua); Eoinín Ó Cualáin ( (An Cheathrú Rua), Mikey Mulryan (Caltra, captain), Matthew Collins (Claregalway).
SUBS: Jamie King (Claregalway), Brian O’Malley (Kilconly), Harry Keady (Oranmore Maree), Conor Mannion (Monivea-Abbey), Ciaran McDonagh (Oranmore Maree), Ciaran O’Donnell (Headford), Killian Joyce (Corofin), Niall De Paor (Oranmore-Maree) and Cian Hynes (Cortoon Shamrocks).