Galway fail to press on as league ambitions are ended

Tyrone 3-15

Galway 1-14

Alan Dooley at Healy Park

HAVING worked hard to establish a half-time position where a second successive league final was very much a possibility in Healy Park on Sunday, Galway inexplicably proceeded to concede two third quarter goals that handed Tyrone the initiative before a late Conal McCann strike eventually sealed a fourth successive win for the home side.

From seven points up at the break, Galway had lost by as many after a nightmare of a second half, scoring only three times when playing into the prevailing wind that buffeted the Omagh ground while also having Eoghan Kerin black carded and Gary O’Donnell sent off late on for a second yellow card.

Kerin had also been involved in hauling down Conor McShane for a crucial penalty that was converted by Peter Harte, while Seán Andy Ó Ceallaigh’s errant handpass led to the farcical sight of Mattie Donnelly rolling the ball into an empty net from 25-yards out with goalkeeper Ruairí Lavelle stranded in no-man’s land.

An opportunistic Danny Cummins goal, his third in three games, and six points in as many minutes just before the interval had looked to have given Kevin Walsh’s men a solid platform, especially with Shane Walsh in scintillating form. Walsh kicked points for fun off either foot and generally ran the show for Galway, tormenting his marker Padraig Hampsey in the process.

Galway had only conceded more than one goal on one occasion since the start of 2018, so it seemed as if another shot at a first league win since 1980 was well within touching distance. Unfortunately, though, the warning signs that had flashed intermittently in the Galway defence in the opening period when McShane was targeted returned to haunt the men in maroon.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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