Galway left with problems to solve after narrow final loss

Galway 0-22

SOME of the sting was taken from this disappointing result for the Galway footballers at Croke Park on Sunday by the mauling endured by Mayo in the subsequent Division One league final.

But there is a limit to the level of consolation the Tribesmen can extract from the heavy defeat of their arch provincial foes ahead of the counties’ defining championship clash later this month.

No matter how we size up the outcome of the Division Two final, losing to Roscommon twice in the space of a week does not look good for Galway. They had targeted silverware but came up short in a high-wire finale.

That late drama had looked a remote prospect after 53 minutes despite the teams having already been level eight times. Roscommon broke free on the scoreboard in the third quarter as they surged into a comfortable 0-17 to 0-12 lead, with impressive due Ciaráin Murtagh and Donie Smith proving elusive up front.

It left Galway in a hole and needing to stop the bleeding quickly. Their response, however, was uplifting, rattling over six points without reply to edge in front with six minutes of normal time remaining. The introduction of Shane Walsh had helped to change the dynamic of the contest with Damien Comer now a growing threat on the edge of the square.

The momentum was with Galway, but similar to last year’s relegation play-off against Monaghan, they lacked the ruthless edge to close the deal. Instead, a spirited Roscommon managed to regroup with substitute Diarmuid Murtagh taking advantage of the opposition defence parting like the Red Sea to fire home a terrific individual goal from out of nothing in the 71st minute.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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