Galway men turn tables on Rossies to regain title

Galway 2-19

Roscommon 2-16

THAT took care of a lot. A first Connacht title triumph at Pearse Stadium in 16 years; ending a run of three consecutive provincial final defeats; and securing a passport to the All-Ireland Gaelic football quarter finals.

Throw in only a third Connacht title success in 14 years, and Galway laid to rest a few demons with a far more convincing victory over Roscommon than the final scoreline would suggest in Salthill on Sunday.

But perhaps the most important aspect of Galway’s return to the football summit in the West is that it maintains their upward curve in 2022. An FBD League success, promotion back to Division One, and now the champions of Connacht.

And if their defeat in the Division 2 league final raised questions about the team’s true worth, this revenge win over the Rossies at Pearse Stadium shows that Galway are emerging as the bolters from the pack in chasing down title favourites, Kerry and Dublin.

A big crowd of over 21,400 witnessed a lively battle for supremacy in which Galway’s classy and more clinical attackers laid the foundation for the county’s 48th Connacht crown. Between them, the impressive full-forward line of Rob Finnerty, Damien Comer and Shane Walsh amassed 2-11 from play.

In terms of territory and possession, there wasn’t a lot to separate the teams, but when it came to taking their chances, Galway were in a different league. Roscommon’s two late goals only served to camouflage their difficulties in front of the opposition posts.

Needlessly running into traffic, eight first-half wides, and lacking Galway’s penetration and pace, Anthony Cunningham’s charges had a frustrating time in trying to emulate their Connacht Final victories over the Tribesmen at the same venue in 2017 and ’19.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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