Galway 1-13
Mayo 0-11
John Fallon reports from Pearse Stadium
GALWAY CONTINUED THEIR perfect start to the league and inflicted a third defeat on arch rivals Mayo in a hotly contested affair in Salthill.
Mayo finished the game with 13 men after the O’Connor brothers Cillian and Diarmuid were sent off, while Galway midfielder Paul Conroy also got his marching orders.
The final quarter of a clash between these two who will meet in the championship in May was punctuated by a series of brawls as Wicklow referee Anthony Nolan struggled to maintain control of the game.
Galway led by 1-4 to 0-5 at the end of the opening half in front of a crowd of 9,850 at the Salthill venue.
Galway captain Damien Comer laid down an early marker with two good points.
It took Mayo 13 minutes to register their first score when Cillian O’Connor pointed a free from 20 metres but this was cancelled at the other end when Shane Walsh scored after a good run.
Kevin McLoughlin cut the gap to the minimum with a free after 18 minutes but from the restart Paul Conroy set up Barry McHugh and he raced through to fire home a good goal into the left corner of the net.
Walsh followed up with a free to push Galway into a 1-4 to 0-2 lead after 19 minutes.
But Galway did not score for the remainder of the half and Mayo ate into the lead with Paddy Durcan scoring their first point from play after 20 minutes.
Diarmuid O’Connor found the range and then younger brother Cllian cut the margin to two in stoppage time with a free to leave them 1-4 to 0-5 adrift at the interval.
The third quarter was a much livelier affair with Barry McHugh and Johnny Heaney extending Galway’s lead before Cillian O’Connor hit back for Mayo.
Paul Conroy and Colm Boyle exchanged points but another Conroy effort for Galway and one from Barry Mcugh pushed them five clear.
Another O’Connor free was followed by efforts from McHugh and Eamon Brannigan and Galway never looked like surrendering their lead.
Cilian O’Connor was first to be dismissed when he got a straight red for a tackle on Eoghan Kerin, then Conroy got a second yellow for Galway before Mayo lost Diarmuid O’Connor to a second yellow card.
Scorers for Galway: Barry McHugh 1-3 (0-2f), Eamon Brannigan 0-3, Paul Conroy 0-2, Shane Walsh 0-2 (0-1f), Damien Comer 0-2, Johnny Heaney 0-1.
Scorers for Mayo: Cillian O’Connor 0-5 (0-5f), Kevin McLoughlin 0-1 (f), Paddy Durcan 0-1, Jason Doherty 0-1 (f), Diarmuid O’Connor 0-1, Colm Boyle 0-1, Eoin O’Donoghue 0-1.
Galway
1 Ruairi Lavelle (Renvyle)
2 Declan Kyne (Clonbur)
3 Sean Andy O Ceallaigh (Leitir Mor)
4 Eoghan Kerin (Annaghdown)
5 Cathal Sweeney (Killannin)
6 Gareth Bradshaw (Moycullen)
10 Sean Kelly (Moycullen)
8 Paul Conroy (St James)
9 Peter Cooke (Moycullen)
7 Johnny Heaney (Killannin)
11 Shane Walsh (Kilkerrin-Clonberne)
12 Eamon Brannigan (St Michael’s)
24 Barry McHugh (Mountbellew-Moylough)
14 Damien Comer (Annaghdown)
13 Patrick Sweeney (Killannin)
Subs:
17 Sean Armstrong (Salthill Knocknacarra) for P Sweeney (36)
23 Tom Flynn (Athenry) for Cooke (60)
15 Adrian Varley (Cortoon Shamrocks) for McHugh (70)
25 Gary O’Donnell (Tuam Stars) for Kelly (76)
19 Cein D’Arcy (Caherlistrane) for Comer (77)
20 Johnny Duane (St James) for Bradshaw (77)
Mayo
1 David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites)
3 Ger Cafferkey (Ballina Stephenites)
19 Caolan Crowe (Garrymore)
4 Eoin O’Donoghue (Belmullet)
5 Colm Boyle (Davitts)
7 Paddy Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels)
6 Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore)
8 Jason Gibbons (Ballintubber)
11 Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy)
14 Jason Doherty (Burrishoole)
20 Michael Hall (Breaffy)
12 Diarmuid O’Connor (Basllintubber)
15 Conor Loftus (Crossmolina)
22 Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber)
10 Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore)
Subs:
18 Ger McDonagh (Castlebar Mitchels) for Crowe (38-52)
26 Donal Newcombe (Castlebar Mitchels) for Cafferkey (39-52)
25 Adam Gallagher (Mayo Gaels) for Loftus (57)
24 Fergal Boland (Aghamore) for McLoughlin (59)
17 James Stretton (Claremorris) for Boyle (63)
9 Shane Nally (Garrymore) for Durcan (77)
Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)
