Sweeney comes up trumps for Galway footballers

GALWAY 2-13

WESTMEATH 2-12

IT’S early days yet and there are still leaks to be plugged before the cuckoo sings, but there were times during this Division 2 National League tie against Westmeath at Cusack Park on Sunday that Galway followers dared to dream of better days to come.

In the end, Galway had to hang on by their finger nails to secure the tightest of victories in a match that served up five star entertainment and if Westmeath had secured the draw at the death, few would have begrudged them their reward.

Sentimentality aside, the victory now leaves Galway on top of Division 2 before the traditional February three week break, and with a home match to come against Laois in the first Sunday of March, the promotion drive towards Division 1 remains very much on target.

Westmeath turned out to be a better side that many of us expected, playing the game at quite a high intensity with big performers in most of the key central sectors, and at different stages of the game they rescued what had looked like a lost cause.

Going forward in full flight, Galway created many frissons of excitement with Killanin target man Patrick Sweeney proving to be a constant torment for the Westmeath defence, ending up with a personal tally of 1-5 from play.

For the second week in a row, Galway clocked up a 2-13 scoreline with Danny Cummins neatly complementing Sweeney’s starring role, kicking three delightful points from play as well as creating several openings.

The worry checklist for Kevin Walsh over the next few weeks will centre mainly on Galway’s score leakage that twice caused them to lose five point leads in the first half, at critical junctures in the match when they seemed on the verge of pulling away.

Galway will also be concerned that Westmeath centre back Kieran Martin made too many forays into attack, one of which resulted in his side’s second goal, although the introduction of Eddie Hoare to the ‘40’ for the second half did provide a more physical presence.

Full match report in this week’s Connacht Tribune.