Frustrating footballers leave victory behind against 14-man Fermanagh

GALWAY 0-15

FERMANAGH 0-15

A FRUSTRATING and error ridden Division 2 National League encounter for Galway footballers at Tuam on Sunday was only rescued from complete disaster by a result that still gives them a winner takes all final promotion showdown with Cavan this weekend.

Galway could have, and should have, won this match about five times over but on each occasion when they worked themselves into a position of strength, a combination of rudimentary errors and lack of focus allowed a determined, well organised but limited Fermanagh side the opportunity to stay in contention.

The litany of Galway mistakes was quite shocking. Balls were dropped in the tackle, a 13 metre free from almost in front of the posts was blazed wide, shots were lobbed into the chest of the Fermanagh keeper, another short kick-out backfired, players let the simplest of balls drift through their hands or out over the sideline . . . the list just went on and on.

In fairness, it wasn’t all bad. Galway did manage to put together some flowing passage of play that at times indicated that they were on the point of pulling away to a comfortable victory, but almost inevitably the catastrophic mistake occurred and Fermanagh were given the opportunity to come back to the table again.

For the second league match in a row, Galway for some inexplicable reason, ‘took a bad turn’ when the opposition had a player sent off. After Fermanagh corner back Niall Cassidy saw red for a dangerous tackle on Johnny Heaney, there were just six minutes gone in the second half and Galway led by 0-9 to 0-7.

Shortly after, an Eddie Hoare free put Galway 10-7 ahead and on top of that they had the admittedly over-rated advantage of the diagonal swirling wind – it seemed as if they were primed to press the booster button and leave Fermanagh behind.

It never happened though. The wides total continued to mount – at least a baker’s dozen – and strange things were happening at the other end too. A long range Sean Quigley free inexplicably was allowed to hop in the Galway square and bounce over the bar to leave Fermanagh just one behind.

Midway through the half, a class effort from Ryan Lyons had the side level at 0-11 apiece while gradually Fermanagh were proving to be that bit tougher than the home side in terms of winning the dirty ball.

Damien Comer – Galway’s most consistent attacker all through – pointed after taking a great pass from Eamon Brannigan, a 54th minute sub for Eddie Hoare, but again the home side handed back the advantage to Pete McGrath’s charges.

Full match coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune