Galway stand up to pressure in penalty shoot-out

Galway 2-21

Armagh 3-18

(AET, Galway win 4-1 on penalties)

 John McIntyre at Croke Park

IT should never have come to this – extra time and penalties – as Galway footballers survived a late meltdown to eventually reach only the county’s second All-Ireland semi-final in 20 years.

This mad-cap, absorbing and marathon quarter-final at Croke Park on Sunday produced enough talking points to do justice to six games never mind one. It was bananas stuff at times and the hearts of rival supporters were repeatedly put through the ringer.

It was a hard-fought, bruising contest and though Galway will be nursing tired bodies and minds for a few days, they will be overjoyed and relieved to have come through such a searching examination of their championship credentials.

And don’t ever accuse these Galway players of not having sufficient bottle or of lacking steel. They could have collapsed in extra time after throwing away a winning hand in the nine minutes of stoppage time. Two giveaway goals and a shocking concession of possession which led to Rory O’Neill’s dramatic equaliser must half left the Tribesmen gutted.

They were then caught up in an ugly brawl as the teams returned to their dressing rooms ahead of extra time. It takes two to tango, but Armagh were undoubtedly the aggressors underlined by the appalling eye-gouging of Damien Comer.

The dust up marred a great battle and Galway will now be keeping their fingers crossed that any sanctions handed down won’t impact on their challenge for the upcoming All-Ireland semi-final against Derry on Saturday evening week at Croke Park.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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