Lively Galway juniors make short work of limited Sligo

Galway 2-15

Sligo 0-8

SLIGO’S top scorer may have been named Hailstones but it was 2018 All-Ireland finalists Galway who brought the thunder and lightning in this one-sided Connacht JFC semi-final at Markievicz Park on Sunday.

After Headford’s Michael Day tore through the Sligo cover to net a super goal after just six minutes, the forecast did not look great for the home side. Sligo did manage to weather this early storm but, in the second quarter, Galway opened up again to outscore them 1-6 to a point.

The Tribesmen’s second goal arrived on 26 minutes after the excellent Day robbed a Sligo restart. In the ensuing passage of play, Padraic Éoin Ó Currin set up flying wing-back Padraic O’Donnell for a daisy-cutter of a goal.

It was O’Donnell’s second score of the contest, having kicked a super point on 10 minutes. Indeed, both of Galway’s adventurous wing-backs got on the scoresheet; Damien Moran also kicked a fine point on 21 minutes following fine work from midfielder Alan Molloy and the lively Jonathan Ryan.

All over the field, Galway dominated in the first half. As noted, the half back line, anchored by Adrian Ward, laid a solid foundation for the victory; Molloy bossed midfield; and, up front, Sean Denvir, Day, Thomas Gleeson, Ó Currin and Ryan had the Sligo defence at sixes and sevens.

Day kicked 1-2 in the opening half — 1-3 in total — while Gleeson and Ryan (0-2 apiece) and Denvir were also on target in this time.

For Sligo’s part, they carried little threat outside Darragh Hailstones. Their wing-forwards Stephen Connolly and Darragh Kilcoyne did work hard but they had it all to do to contain rampaging duo of Moran and O’Donnell.

Galway led 2-9 to 0-3 at the interval and, if they maintained the same intensity and continued with the same slick football they had produced in the first 30 minutes, they were going to put up a big score. This, though, did not happen. It was due to a combination of factors.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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