Afternoon all. We’ve got a day of high stakes provincial action to sink your teeth into.
Kevin O’Brien here and I’ll be taking you through all the drama in Pearse Stadium as Galway host Roscommon for honours in the Connacht SFC decider. Throw-in is at 2pm.
It’s been a good start to the day for Galway, as their minors picked up the Connacht footballer title with a six point win over Mayo in the curtain raiser for the senior final.
Can the Tribesmen make it a double celebration on home soil?
Let’s take a quick check on the teams:
Roscommon
1 Darren O’Malley (Michael Glaveys)
2 Sean McDermott (Western Gaels)
3 Sean Mullooly (Strokestown)
4 Niall McInerney (St Brigids)
5 David Murray (Padraig Pearses)
6 Sean Purcell (Boyle)
7 John McManus (Roscommon Gaels)
8 Niall Daly (Padraig Pearses)
9 Cathal Compton (Strokestown)
10 Fintan Cregg (Elphin)
11 Ciaran Murtagh Captain (St Faithleachs)
12 David Keenan (St Barrys)
13 Conor Devaney (Kilbride)
14 Enda Smith (Boyle)
15 Cathal Cregg (Western Gaels)
Substitutes:
16 Geoffrey Claffey (Castlerea St Kevins)
17 Cian Connolly (Roscommon Gaels)
18 Donie Shine (Clann na nGael)
19 Donie Smith (Boyle)
20 Fergal Lennon ( Clann na nGael)
21 James McDermott (Roscommon Gaels)
22 Niall Carty (Padraig Pearses)
23 Niall Kilroy (Fuerty)
24 Senan Kilbride (St Brigids)
25 Thomas Corcoran (Strokestown)
26 Ultan Harney (Clann na nGael)
Galway
1. Bernard Power (Corofin)
2. Eoghan Kerin (Annaghdown)
3. Declan Kyne (Clonbur)
4. David Wynne (Moycullen)
5. Gareth Bradshaw (Moycullen)
6. Liam Silke (Corofin)
7. Gary O’Donnell (Tuam Stars – captain)
8. Paul Conroy (St. James’)
9. Thomas Flynn (Athenry)
10. Gary Sice (Corofin)
11. Damien Comer (Annaghdown)
12. Johnny Heaney (Killannin)
13. Eamonn Brannigan (St Michaels)
14. Shane Walsh (Kilkerrin-Clonberne)
15. Danny Cummins (Claregalway)
Substitutes:
16. Manus Breathnach
17. Finian Hanley
18. Cathal Sweeney
19. David Cunnane
20. Paul Varley
21. Enda Tierney
22. Peter Cooke
23. Eddie Hoare
24. Adrian Varley
25. Patrick Sweeney
26. Sean Denvir
Let’s hear your predictions. Who do you fancy to take the Connacht title today?
Looks like there’s a bit of traffic en route to the Pearse Stadium.
Seconds away from throw-in. Here we go!
These sides meet for the 62nd time in championship football in their first Connacht final in 18 years.
Both teams are looking to get men behind the ball early on, as expected.
2 mins – Galway 0-0 Roscommon 0-1
Conor Devanney kicks the Rossies into an early lead. Wonderful field by David Keenan over Paul Conroy to set that attack up.
3 mins – Galway 0-1 Roscommon 0-1
Galway’s captain Gary O’Donnell gets them up and running. Damien Comer popped off the pass to O’Donnell after a nice move by the home side.
Galway are playing into the breeze in the first-half.
We’re going to see plenty of errors today. Whoever can execute the basic skills best today will likely lift the trophy.
7 mins – Galway 0-1 Roscommon 0-2
Darren O’Malley sends over a 45 to put Roscommon back in front.
8 mins – Galway 0-2 Roscommon 0-2
Comer spins a defender and is hauled to the ground. The ever reliable Gary Sice converts the free.
Eamon Brannigan and David Murray receive a yellow each for an off-the-ball tussle.
Galway hit their third straight wide after a quick breakaway.
Galway are the team attacking with intent here as Roscommon continue to struggle with their forward play.
16 mins – Galway 0-2 Roscommon 1-2
GOAL! Enda Smith taps in from close range after a bad Galway error.
A ten minute wait for a score from Roscommon ends with a goal.
17 mins – Galway 0-2 Roscommon 1-3
That goal has breathed life into Roscommon. Niall Daly strokes over a fine point.
20 mins – Galway 0-4 Roscommon 1-3
Sice (free) and Danny Cummins pull back a couple of scores for Galway.
23 mins – Galway 0-4 Roscommon 1-4
Ciaran Murtagh curls over a fantastic score from outside the 45. He took it upon himself to extend Roscommon’s lead back to three points.
24 mins – Galway 0-5 Roscommon 1-4
Danny Cummins flicks the ball clear with a delicate touch and swings over a score for Galway. You’ll be seeing that piece of skill again once or twice before the summer is out.
26 mins – Galway 0-5 Roscommon 1-5
Fintan Cregg bends over a free to leave three between them again. We’re into the last ten minutes of the first-half.
29 mins – Galway 0-6 Roscommon 1-5
Johnny Heaney drives over a cracking strike for Galway.
31 mins – Galway 0-6 Roscommon 1-6
Niall Daly is having fine game. He leaves three points between the teams again.
The wind seems to be going more across the field, but the rain has stopped in Pearse Stadium. Conditions are still very slippy underfoot.
Half-time: Galway 0-6 Roscommon 1-6
Enda Smith’s goal is the difference between the teams. Galway will enjoy the breeze in the second-half.
Here’s a look back at Roscommon’s goal, the only difference between the sides so far.
36 mins - Galway 0-7 Roscommon 1-6
Gareth Bradshaw gets his first point of the afternoon. Good start by Galway to the second period.
38 mins - Galway 0-8 Roscommon 1-6
Comer strikes and the lead is down to one.
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40 mins - Galway 0-8 Roscommon 1-7
Fintan Cregg sends over an important score for Roscommon, their first of the second-half.
42 mins - Galway 0-9 Roscommon 1-7
Galway’s goalkeeper Bernard Power lands over a 45. That’s three scores since half-time by the Tribesmen.
Roscommon’s short kickouts are getting them in trouble. They’re showing a real reluctance to kick the ball long.
45 mins – Galway 0-10 Roscommon 1-7
Galway pick Roscommon’s pocket while they attack and Brannigan runs forward 60 yards before passing to Cummins who points. We’re level.
48 mins - Galway 0-11 Roscommon 1-7
Conroy lifts over a free from 50 metres out. Brilliant effort. Galway have outscored them by four points to one in this second-half.
51 mins - Galway 0-11 Roscommon 1-8
Galway defend Roscommon’s latest attack with all 15 men behind the ball. Eventually Fintan Cregg hand passes to Enda Smith who takes a nice angled run and wins a free. Murtagh brings us level with the placed ball.
Murtagh kicks a wide after he finds himself in oceans of space in the full-forward line. A wasted opportunity, especially considering he had plenty of runners joining him in attack.
Roscommon’s attack is far too slow and they’re getting bottled up by the Galway defence.
57 mins - Galway 0-12 Roscommon 1-8
Another Galway turnover, this time by Bradshaw, results in Comer sending the home side into the lead.
Roscommon haven’t scored in 13 minutes.
Senan Kilbride enters the fray for Roscommon.
67 mins - Galway 0-13 Roscommon 1-8
Wonderful strike over the bar by Adrian Varley! Galway lead by two.
We’re into the final three minutes here. It looks like Roscommon might need a goal here to save this.
69 mins - Galway 0-13 Roscommon 1-9
Cathal Cregg kicks a crucial point as we head for stoppage-time. Roscommon went straight at Galway there rather than going sideways.
Excellent block by John McManus on Shane Walsh. Will Galway rue that miss?
72 mins - Galway 0-13 Roscommon 1-10
Donie Smith kicks a high pressure free to bring the sides level!
Full-time: Galway 0-13 Roscommon 1-10
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