Footballers must settle for a draw after nearly blowing it

Date Published: 06-Mar-2013

ALAN Mulholland was in a realistic mood when offering his post-match comments on Galway’s sharing of the spoils with Westmeath in round three of the National Football League at Tuam Stadium last Sunday. The Tribesmen boss admitted that they were in ‘pole position’ to carry the day at half-time and that they needed the win after the previous weekend’s disappointing result against Louth, but the home team simply hadn’t finished the job.

Yet Mulholland was also relieved that Galway had salvaged something from a game which appeared to be slipping away from them when Westmeath surged into a two point after trailing 0-8 to 0-2 at the interval having had the assistance of the wind. David Duffy’s introduction at midfield, coupled with Denis Cooroon’s goal in the 55th minute, saw the Midlanders turn the match on its head and having most of the momentum.

After their second-half collapse in Drogheda, this was a crisis period for Galway. They may have lost their previous two competitive encounters against Westmeath, but to be turned over again on home turf in Tuam after threatening to romp home in the opening-half would have represented something of a disaster. To Galway’s credit, however, they showed no shortage of resolve in rallying to force a stalemate outcome.

The team management played their part too by making timely substitutions with two of them, Micheal Martin and Gareth Bradshaw – good to see the Moycullen man back after his injury problems – contributing invaluable points in the closing stages. Niall Coleman, who was one of the team’s better performers, had a late chance to edge Galway back in front after Westmeath John Heslin had tied the teams with five minutes remaining, but he was well off target.

Naturally, the Galway camp would have had mixed emotions with the 0-13 to 1-10 result, but drawing a match is always better than losing it and they didn’t go hiding when Westmeath upped the ante on the resumption. Four points from the excellent Paul Conroy were a feature of Sunday’s lively encounter against a background where there is growing recognition locally that the county simply doesn’t possess sufficient reserves of talent to be challenging for top honours. ‘They don’t have them’ has become a common refrain but, at least, Galway head to Longford this weekend with their promotion hopes still alive.

About 60 miles down the road from Tuam, the Galway hurlers were representing the province in the M Donnelly Inter-provincial final in Ennis and must have had high hopes of overcoming Munster, especially after getting their league campaign off to a good start against Kilkenny the previous weekend, but instead Anthony Cunningham’s squad slumped to a disappointing ten point loss and, perhaps, a timely dose of reality. Going for over 20 minutes in the second-half without a score sums up their poverty on the day and it wasn’t as if they had a second string outfit out either.

Granted, Fergal Moore and Tony Og Regan were late withdrawals, but their positions were filled by Johnny Coen and David Collins, while Andy Smith and Cyril Donnellan were both back from suspension. Furthermore, Joseph Cooney, Damian Hayes, Jonathan Glynn and Davy Glennon were all sprung from the bench to illustrate Connacht’s level of intent, but the old problem of struggling to win primary possession around the half-forward line resurfaced again.

Just like the semi-final against Leinster in Tullamore, Connacht got off to a poor start in falling three points behind, but they gradually worked their way back into the contest and a Niall Healy point in the 18th minute saw them actually take the lead at 0-5 to 0-4, but it was all downhill after that. Paudie O’Sullivan’s goal turned the tide back in Munster’s favour and they were rarely in any danger subsequently. It’s interesting to note that Cork trio Pa Cronin, Pat Horgan and O’Sullivan contributed 1-14 of their team’s 1-22 total. The Rebels are starting to stir again.

This was a final that ‘Galway’ would have been anxious to win, but they were well off the pace and appeared battle weary by the finish. Obviously, they now face a dangerous assignment against a youthful Clare outfit at the same venue in the league this Sunday and can expect vibrant resistance from the Banner men, especially after their surprising opening round loss to Waterford. It’s only early March but, suddenly, Galway have a few questions to answer.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.