Galway footballers maintain unbeaten away run
ANYONE looking for dull moments in this year's National Football League would be wise not to be traipsing after the Tribesmen.
For Galway footballers' high-wire act in Division 1 continued at a wet Ballyshannon on Sunday when they maintained their unbeaten away record with a battling draw against Donegal.
Though Padraic Joyce's team have only managed one win from five outings so far, this statistic does scant justice to some strong passages of quality football and their never-say-die spirit.
Ultimately, Galway were only denied victory over the Ulster champions by substitute's Peadar Mogan's two-pointer in the 68th minute in front of an 8,740 attendance.
Galway will naturally have regrets about that stalemate given the number of goal chances created and facing 14-man opponents for the guts of 40 minutes due to the overlapping of Michael Langan's black card and double yellow dismissal of defender Stephen MacMeanaman.
Johnny McGrath, the impressive Cian Hernon, the dynamic John Maher, substitute Daniel O’Flaherty and Ciaran Mulhern – admittedly an ambitious effort – all had opportunities to raise green flags but were either denied by keeper Gavin Mulreany or some desperate last-ditch defending.
In that context, Galway probably left a league point behind in Ballyshannon, but when you consider that they trailed by 1-6 to 0-5 after 21 minutes when having use of the elements and Connor Gleeson did superbly to flick a Ryan McHugh rasper over the bar in the second half, a draw was no disaster.
It took Galway some time to get going as Donegal – dominant under the rival kick-outs – scampered into an early lead thanks to points from Langan and half-forward Jamie Brennan.
Somebody needed to turn on the Galway ignition and up stepped Maher; winning the hard ball and thundering into everything. They gradually settled with Rob Finnerty (2), Matthew Tierney, Liam Ó Conghaile and Hernon all raising white flags.
But Galway were rocked in the 20th minute by a superb solo goal from Conor O'Donnell and when 'keeper Mulreany quickly added a two-point free, it wasn't looking great for the Connacht champions.
Symbolic of their league campaign, however, no Galway heads dropped. They began to establish some control, with Liam Silke setting up Shane McGrath for his first score, and the excellent Oisín Mac Donnacha nailing a two-pointer and also registering the final score of the half.
With the lively Mulhern and Ó Conghaile also hitting the target, Galway led by 0-13 to 0-7 at the break. It looked a precarious lead in the circumstances, but the men in maroon were undaunted and made a real positive start on the resumption.
They dominated possession and reeled off three invaluable points from Mulhern and McDonnacha (two) to give them some extra breathing space against a Donegal team initially struggling to cope with their numerical disadvantage.
After being heavily outscored by 11 points to one, they stopped the rot with points from influential substitute Michael Murphy and Langan, and though MacDonnacha replied at the other end, Donegal were finding some momentum with Finnbar Roarty, Jason McGhee (2), Mogan, McHugh and a Murphy free leaving them just 1-15 to 0-19 behind after 59 minutes.
With Galway continuing to spurn goal chances, they were grateful for Mulhern's third point to leave Donegal chasing an orange flag to force a draw and they managed it through Mogan's fine effort from the left wing.
Paul Conroy did have a chance to win it for Galway, but his snatched effort drifted wide of the far post on a day MacDonnacha, Maher, Hernon, Jack Glynn, Tierney (first half), Finnerty (first half) and Mulhern led the individual roll of honour, but the rest of them weren't bad either.
Donegal: G Mulreany (0-2,tpf); E Bán Gallagher, B McCole, S McMenamin; R McHugh (0-1), C McGonagle, P O’Hare; H McFadden, M Langan (0-2); S Malone, C O’Donnell (1-2), Jamie Brennan (0-2); C McCahill, J McGee (0-2), H McFadden, E McGeehin. Subs: M Murphy (0-2,1f), P Mogan (0-3, 1 2pt) and F Roarty (0-1) for McGeehin, Brennan and Malone (all h-t); K Muldoon for Malone (56)
Galway: C Gleeson; J McGrath, C Hernon (0-1), J Glynn; L Silke, D McHugh, S Kelly; J Maher, M Tierney (0-2); S McGrath (0-2), C Mulhern (0-3), Liam O Conghaile (0-0); R Finnerty (0-3,1f), C Darcy, O Mac Donnacha (0-07, 2f,1tp). Subs: F Mac Donnacha for O Conghaile (56); PConroy for Darcy (60); D O’Flaherty for McGrath (60).
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).