Galway turn on the style in dispatching Donegal rivals

GALWAY 1-12

DONEGAL 1-5

Kevin Egan at Pearse Park

THE superb form that Galway showed in the round robin stages of this year’s National League was carried into last Saturday’s semi-final clash with Donegal in Longford, as Tim Rabbitt’s side produced a superb all-round display to easily account for the Ulster county and set up a sixth ever league final appearance.

Galway’s record in those finals has been dismal, with four defeats between 2005 and 2015 added to their one-point reverse to Tipperary in the first ever competition all the way back in 1979, but if they replicate the form that they showed in the early stages of this victory, they’ll give themselves every chance of bringing that unwanted winless record to an end.

“When we play fast and expansive football, that’s what’s best for us. It’s got to go through the hands quick and slowing it down doesn’t suit us at all” said Rabbitt afterwards, reflecting on a game where his team fired over three points in the first two minutes, then conceded a goal to a penalty but kicked on again to accumulate an 0-9 to 1-1 lead by half time.

“The girls are great, they responded brilliantly to it (the goal). Donegal are a really good team, really physically strong, they kept it going all the way to the end and we had to play well to beat them”.

“We’re delighted by the first 45 minutes and then we’ve some things to work on, some of our decision making and our skills let us down again in the final quarter. But when there’s something big on the line players might freeze and there was a small bit of that. There’s always something to work on” he added.

There was very little room for improvement in the early exchanges, when Galway moved the ball at pace, carved out some good space thanks to excellent support play and tireless off-the-ball running, and kicked some wonderful points.

Midfielder Louise Ward won the opening throw in and after sprinting up field, she fired the ball over the bar with just ten seconds of play expired – and that set the tone for what was to follow.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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