Galway sink Mayo late on to win FBD League title
Galway 2-12 Mayo 1-14
Galway captured the Connacht FBD League title for the 11th time when they landed two points in added time after Mayo were guilty of technical breaches in a cracking contest at Tuam Stadium.
Galway led by 2-06 to 0-05 at the end of an opening half where they had the slight breeze behind them in front of a crowd of around 3,000 fans.
But they were forced to come from behind in the dying moments after Andy Moran's Mayo wiped out a five-point margin in the final quarter of a good contest.
Galway would have been further ahead at the break had Mayo goalkeeper Jack Livingstone not produced a few good saves in a game where both sides fielded experimental line-ups ahead of their clash next Sunday in Pearse Stadium in the opening round of the national league.
Points from wing-back Fenton Kelly and Darragh Joyce eased Mayo into an early lead, but once Cillian O Curraoin got Galway off the mark after 10 minutes, they pushed on to open up a 2-05 to 0-04 lead after 25 minutes.
Oisin McDonagh got the opening goal after 18 minutes when he fisted home a Fionn McDonagh pass after a good delivery out the field from Jack O’Neill.
They hit the net again three minutes later when wing-back Brian Cogger, who had been involved in the build-up, finished a rebound after Livingstone had denied O’Currain and that helped them lead by seven at the break.
A two-pointer free from Cian McHale was part of a good start to the second half by Mayo, which saw them cut the gap to a goal, and the sides then twice exchanged points for Galway to lead by 2-08 to 0-11 after 41 minutes.
But they took a five-point lead into the final quarter when Rob Finnerty and Ciaran Mulhearn found the range for the Tribesmen.
A good two-pointer from the right by Jack Carney ignited a Mayo revival nine minutes from time as they again got the gap back to a goal.
They levelled four minutes from time when Adam Barrett slotted home a penalty after John McMonagle was fouled by Jack Glynn after a point effort from Fergal Boland came back off an upright.
And then they hit the front when Stephen Coen went forward to shoot a good point from the left to lead by 1-14 to 2-10 with three minutes left.
But then two breaches by Mayo were punished by Galway, with Liam O Conghaile equalising before Finnerty tapped over a close range free in the fifth minute of added time to win the title.
Galway: Conor Flaherty; Conor Carson, Seán Ó Maoilchiaráin, Michael Moughan; Cian Hernon, Kieran Molloy (0-02, 1 2p), Brian Cogger (1-00); Ryan Roche, Mattias Barrett; Shane McGrath (0-01), Ciarán Mulhern (0-02, 0-01f), Jack O’Neill; Fionn McDonagh (0-01), Oisín McDonagh (1-02, 0-02f), Cillian Ó Curráoin (0-01).
Subs: Shay McGlinchey for Barrett (29), Rob Finnerty (0-02, 1f) for O Curraoin (29), Jack Glynn for Ó Maoilchiaráin (38), Charlie Power for Roche (43), Darragh Burke for Cogger (51), Liam Ó Conghaile (0-01) for McGrath (51), Mikey Mulryan for F McDonagh (56), Colm Costello for O McDonagh (56).
Mayo: Jack Livingstone (0-01f ’45); Liam Golden, Stephen Coen (0-01), Sam Callinan; Fenton Kelly (0-01), John MacMonagle, Cathal Keaveney; Darragh Joyce (0-01), Dylan Thornton; Diarmuid Duffy, Jack Carney (0-02, 1 2p), Nathan Moran; Cian McHale (0-5, 1 2pf, 0-01f), Kuba Callaghan, Niall Hurley (0-01f).
Subs: Fergal Boland (0-01) for Thornton (29), Paul Towey (0-01) for Callaghan (29), Eoin McGreal for Golden (half-time), Tom Lydon for Hurley (half-time), James Carr for Duffy (41), Adam Barrett (1-00p) for McHale (43), Colm Lynch for Keaveney (49).
Referee: D Lyons (Roscommon).
