Galway on brink of going up after latest league win

GALWAY 3-15

DOWN 1-13

THE flight hasn’t been without its moments of turbulence but Galway footballers still remain on schedule to make the Division 1 landing strip for next season after another eventful encounter against Down in Pairc Esler on Sunday.

Galway’s trek through Division 2 of the league certainly hasn’t been boring with rapidly changing fortunes in matches and big scores being racked up, the order of the day – that pattern was maintained on Sunday, with again, superior finishing power, eventually seeing Kevin Walsh’s side through.

When the sides were tied at eight points apiece at the end of the first half, the likelihood of Galway ‘winning’ the second half by 3-7 to 1-5 seemed a seriously long shot, but two early goal strikes from the Connacht champions completely opened up the game.

After those two goal strikes from an Eamonn Brannigan penalty – that led to the black carding of Down ‘keeper Michael Cunningham – and a close-range effort from Shane Walsh put Galway 2-8 to 0-8 ahead, there was a temptation to hold up the ‘game over’ poster, but there was a lot more water to flow under the bridge.

Nine minutes into the second half, the game was to take a turn for the worse for Galway, when full back Declan Kyne was shown a red card after an off-the-ball incident with Down full forward Barry O’Hagan.

Roscommon referee, Paddy Neilan, issued the red after a consultation with his umpires – obviously for a ‘striking’ offence – but any contact seemed very minimal and the prostrate O’Hagan made a Lazarus style recovery after Kyne had been dismissed.

The sending off though did change the pattern of the match with Galway suddenly becoming more vulnerable in the heart of their own defence and especially to long ball deliveries.

Fourteen minutes into the second half, full forward O’Hagan beat Cathal Sweeney to a dropping ball before shooting low to the back of Rory Lavelle’s net.

The score sent the 2,000-home crowd into full voice as Down now only trailed by 2-9 to 1-9, and a minute later, corner forward Ryan Johnston knifed through the Galway defence and seemed destined to level the match, only for Rory Lavelle to bring off a super close range save.

The pressure was on Galway now, but they regrouped after Lavelle’s save with Gary Sice – who took on a renewed lease of life in the second half – kicking two splendid point from play before Barry McHugh knocked over a 50 metre free and a ‘45’.

All four scores were of the highest quality and when Eamonn Brannigan tapped over a point from play in the 64th minute, Galway were 2-14 to 1-10 ahead, and by then they had weathered the Down storm.

Another free-flowing Galway attacking move in the 67th minute, ended with Gary O’Donnell being taken down in the Down square, giving Brannigan his second penalty opportunity.

This time, the St. Michael’s forward didn’t change sides with the strike, and Down’s substitute keeper Marc Reid guessed correctly and stopped the shot but the rebound fell kindly for Brannigan who poked the ball home from a couple of yards out.

Full coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune