Early goal blitz sees Galway demolish hapless Leitrim

GALWAY 5-21

LEITRIM 0-9

Down through the years, football jousts between Galway and Leitrim have resembled a fight between an Alsatian and a feisty Jack Russell, but this time around the small dog was killed-off in seconds after the first barks were exchanged.

Quite a decent home crowd of around 500 souls turned out in the state-of-the-art stand at Ballinamore on Sunday, desperate for something to cheer about, but the experience turned out to be a particularly painful one for the home supporters.

‘The kill’ was completed after just 180 seconds of action when three goals from Danny Cummins, Cillian McDaid and Paul Conroy had put the pin in what was a particularly flimsy Leitrim balloon.

Two years ago, in the corresponding fixture at Mohill, Galway were extremely lucky to escape with a one point victory after a typically spirited display from Leitrim; but this time around, following the lightning three-goal flurry, this was a largely academic exercise.

While due allowance must be factored in for the very limited resistance put forward by Leitrim, it was still a very sharp display from a Galway side that looked fit and hungry for action.

Although Galway had officially named the same team for this tie as the one that defeated Sligo a week previously, there was a total of eight personnel changes with Manus Breathnach, Finian Hanley, Declan Kyne, David Wynne, Gary O’Donnell, Cillian McDaid, Paul Conroy and Danny Cummins ‘getting the start’ this time around.

In its own way, those changes told their own story in terms of the difference between the strength of the respective panels – Leitrim were close enough to having a full squad available but were completely blown out of the water by a very focused Galway side.

Leitrim goalie, Phillip Farrelly – who had to pick the ball out of the net five times over the 70 minutes – could not be faulted for any of the strikes that beat him, and was actually a strong contender for the man-of-the-match accolade, with a string of excellent saves.

Three goals up after three minutes; 3-9 to 0-1 in front by the 21st minute; and 3-14 to 0-4 to the good by half-time, this was one serious mauling for a Leitrim side that had chalked up 5-20 in their first outing against GMIT.

Galway’s first goal within 30 seconds had a slice of good fortune attached to it, when a Paul Conroy point effort came back off the post and into the lap of an unaccompanied Danny Cummins who finished to the net from 10 yards out.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.