Galway U-21 footballers send champions packing

Mayo 1-10

TIMELY second half goals by Dessie Conneely and Eoin Finnerty powered Galway to a richly deserved victory over Mayo at Tuam Stadium on Saturday evening, as Gerry Fahy’s side defeated last year’s All Ireland U21 champions to claim a place in the Connacht final against Sligo.

Galway were by far the more cohesive unit throughout, hustling Mayo into countless errors, disrupting their kick-out strategy, and dominating the midfield battleground for the majority of the contest. The only worry was that for all their superiority, the scoreboard did not truly reflect this after Mayo snatched an unlikely goal before half-time.

Seven of last year’s triumphant panel were on show for Mayo and with only a point separating the sides early in the second half, a purple patch for Michael Solan’s side was anticipated. Conneely’s goal, however, gave Galway the perfect lift, and when substitute Eoin Finnerty drilled in a second with 12 minutes to play, the victory was assured.

On a beautiful evening for football, Galway began smartly and midfielder Peter Cooke curled a long range free over the bar to open the scoring. Mayo replied through a Brian Reape free, but then Colin Brady, Paul Mannion, and Cillian McDaid combined well to win a free and Robert Finnerty edged Galway back in front.

McDaid began at left half back but was soon getting involved in Galway attacks, bursting through the middle and down the right flank at every opportunity. Galway pushed up man on man from the kick-outs to force Mayo into going long, where Cooke and Colm Brennan reigned supreme, and Galway opened up a decent lead.

Michael Daly showed the class which has shone at senior level when cutting inside onto his left to kick a good score, before Cooke drove over a ’45 from a tricky angle. McDaid then capped his good start with a point on 12 minutes, and Galway were full value for a 0-5 to 0-1 advantage.

Mayo attacks at this point were few and far between, with goalkeeper Matthew Flanagan eventually kicking their second point from a ’45. Galway’s movement and passing accuracy was at another level at times, and Mannion would become their score-getter for a time, landing three fine efforts to push the lead to six by the 20 minute mark.

All was going to plan for the hosts, but Mayo’s inside forward line was known to be a dangerous unit, and when James Carr finally fetched a long kick under the stand and broke a tackle, space opened up and within seconds Ryan O’Donoghue was handpassing across the goal for Reape to palm to the net, despite Ronan Ó Beoláin’s brave effort to deny him.

Full report in this week's Connacht Tribune.