It’s better from Galway but lots of work still to be done

Galway 0-15

Dublin 2-15

A performance to take the rough edges off the previous week’s harrowing National League defeat to Mayo, but Galway manager Padraic Joyce will be the first to concede that they have much work to do ahead of their Connacht championships opener on November 7.

Given the strong position the Tribesmen had put themselves in when going top of Division 1 in March, to finish their National League campaign post lockdown with back-to-back losses to Mayo and All-Ireland champions Dublin was disappointing.

As it was, Galway – and, indeed, Dublin – were denied the opportunity of playing for the Division 1 title following Kerry’s impressive victory over Donegal a day earlier. No doubt, that result took some of the heat out of this fixture, Galway and Dublin having little interest in minor placings.

There were times in this contest when it looked as if Galway might take the win, no more so than after 46 minutes when they led 0-12 to 0-8. However, from there until the final whistle, Dublin shifted up through the gears to outscore their hosts by 2-7 to three points.

The damage was done in a 10-minute spell midway through the second half as Dessie Farrell’s charges tallied an unanswered 1-4. Paddy Small (two marks), Dean Rock (free) and substitute Sean Bugler shot those four Dublin points, but the score that crippled Galway’s chances of victory was the Liffeysiders’ first goal on 50 minutes.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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