Galway minors run riot against old rivals

Galway 3-14

Mayo 1-3

VIBRATIONS of ambition crashing spectacularly at MacHale Park could be felt all over the province on Saturday evening as rampant Galway footballers ended Mayo’s Connacht minor reign.

Their 17-points championship win was Galway’s first and most comprehensive over their neighbours since 2005, and it was fashioned from superior team­work and greater physical strength.

Nowhere did Mayo measure up, not from the sixth minute when they claimed their goal – their only score of the first half. By the game’s end, they had been run ragged, stripped of the positivity and self-confidence that so often fuelled their performances.

Their plans may have been blighted to some extent by the absence of two of their best players through injury, David Hanley and Shairoize Akram, and the loss of their captain and key midfielder Barry Duffy early in the game.

Even the inclusion of all three, however, was unlikely to loosen the vice-like grip of the Galway defence, the overpowering control of Colm O Braonain and Cillian McDaid at midfield and the fast-moving half forward line that was the font of most of their scores.

The Tribesmen did have the help of a strong wind in the first half and for a few minutes it shaped up like being the customary humdinger of a match between the two counties . . . especially when Mayo rattled in their goal in the sixth minute.

The paradox is that it stemmed not from any smart move by Mayo, but from an excess of enthusiasm by Ronan O Beolain in advancing too far from his goal.

In a crowded defence he came to challenge a high cross from the right wing, but missed the ball. It fell to full forward James Carr but his shot was pegged back and this time corner forward Liam Byrne drove it first-time back into the net.

That was Mayo’s only score of the half. The rest belonged to Galway as O Braonain and McDaid took over at midfield and half-forwards Eric Lee, Conor Marsden and Finian O Laoi opened lanes in the home defence.

Theirs was a master lesson in economy and accuracy. From all angles passes were sprayed and points scored. The Mayo defence was pulled shapelessly out of position, as McDaid, Lee, O Braonain, Marsden and Colin Cryan piled up the points.

Lee, who had opened the scoring in the 3rd minute, added another point after Mayo’s goal, from a free 45 metres out. He tacked on a further brace before the half was out. McDaid slotted over four, two from frees. Marsden chipped in with a couple and O Braonain and Cryan one each.

Full match report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.