Galway minors retain title for the first time in a decade

MAYO  0-6

A Desmond Conneely 45th minute goal not only saw Galway retain their Connacht minor crown with victory over Mayo at Pearse Stadium on Sunday but also secured the Tribesmen their first back-to-back provincial title wins at this grade in over a decade.

It’s hard to believe that when Galway claimed the three-in-a-row of Connacht minor titles between 2003 and 2005 they would only win one more – 2007 when Alan Mulholland’s young charges subsequently went on to win the All-Ireland – in the ensuing decade.

That was, of course, until Clonbur’s Stephen Joyce worked the oracle with victories over Mayo and Sligo – after a replay – last year to bring home the silverware and get Galway GAA back on track at this grade.

That good work continued at Pearse Stadium on Sunday when Joyce and his management team masterminded the defence of that crown – and a 27th Connacht minor title for the county – with an empathic victory over old rivals Mayo.

From pillar to post, Galway led this one and when Conneely struck for a magnificent goal on the three-quarter mark, following great industry from Ernán McDonagh and Robert Finnerty, the issue was never in doubt.

So, it proved, with Galway continuing to hold the upperhand, outscoring Mayo five points to four in the closing stage. Indeed, two of those Mayo points did not come until injury-time, at which point Galway eyes and minds were already wandering up the steps of the main stand and towards the lifting of the Kilcoyne Cup.

The victory was no more than Galway deserved given they had set the tone from the off. Unanswered points from Conneely – play and free – and Finnerty (free) saw Galway take the lead in the opening quarter and it could have been more had a Finian Ó Laoi goal chance not going abegging on 15 minutes.

While a wind-assisted Galway had carried the greater attacking threat, the big concern was that they were unable to translate this into further scores and in the second quarter they only managed one point. That came from the impressive Evan Murphy after a barnstorming run on 21 minutes.

Alarmingly for the home side, Mayo, despite playing against the wind, began to grow more and more into the game thereafter although it was incredible, even allowing for the weather conditions, that the visitors did not raise a flag until Oisin McLaughlin found the mark on the 24th minute.

It was a sweet move involving a plethora of players and, now in their stride, Mayo could have struck the fixture’s first goal a minute later when impressive midfielder Colm Murphy, Colm Moran, John Maughan – son of the former Mayo manager – and McLaughlin set up Ryan O’Donoghue for the effort. However, his shot blazed into the side netting much to the relief of Galway.

It was a setback for Mayo but not as big as the loss of Murphy to a knee injury on 27 minutes. Murphy had been hugely prominent in the opening half, winning a brace of kick-outs at both ends in addition to a couple of frees.

Full coverage in this week's Connacht Tribune.