There’s more silverware up for grabs on a Super Sunday of sport, Mayo and Galway going head-to-head for the first inter-county football provincial championship crown on offer in 2020.
It’s a rivalry for the ages in Connacht with James Horan and Padraig Joyce on the line, and it’s sure to be a battle from start to finish.
Throw-in is at 1.30pm with the game live on RTÉ, but we’ll keep you up to date right here…
Here’s the starting teams that were named on Friday, but as always, expect late changes.
Mayo
1. David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites)
2. Oisin Mullin (Kilmaine)
3. Chris Barrett (Clontarf)
4. Lee Keegan (Westport)
5. Patrick Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels)
6. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore)
7. Eoghan McLaughlin (Westport)
8. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)
9. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)
10. Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore)
11. Mark Moran (Westport)
12. Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber)
13. Tommy Conroy (The Neale)
14. Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy — captain)
15. Cillian O’Connor (Ballintubber)
Galway
1. Bernard Power (Corofin)
2. Sean Kelly (Moycullen)
3. Sean Mulkerrin (Aran Islands)
4. Johnny Heaney (Killanin)
5. Liam Silke (Corofin)
6. Johnny Duane (St James’)
7. Cillian McDaid (Monivea Abbey)
8. Céin D’Arcy (Caherlistrane)
9. Tom Flynn (Athenry)
10. Paul Kelly (Moycullen)
11. Paul Conroy (St James’)
12. Michael Daly (Mountbellew Moylough)
13. Ian Burke (Corofin)
14. Shane Walsh (Kilkerrin Clonberne – captain)
15. Dessie Conneely (Moycullen).
Mayo come into this one after beating Leitrim and Roscommon, looking for their first Connacht crown since 2015.
Galway, meanwhile — champions in 2016 and 2018 — are lining out in their first championship game of 2020 after their semi-final clash with Sligo was called off due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the Yeats camp.
One late change to Mayo’s starting team with Ryan O’Donoghue coming in for Mark Moran, who was due to make his championship debut at centre half-forward.
There is one change to our starting team with Ryan O’Donoghue in for Mark Moran. #mayogaa pic.twitter.com/LFGjTcXI62
— Mayo GAA (@MayoGAA) November 15, 2020
There are no fans in Pearse Stadium, of course, but as has been done in other counties across the country, the seats are far from empty.
Nice work from primary school teachers and students co-ordinated by @CoachingGalway #GAA pic.twitter.com/DEkEcCXanA
— Cian O'Connell (@oconnc62) November 15, 2020
Some pictures as the teams arrive to a beautiful Salthill.
Following on from that late Mayo change, Gary O’Donnell starts in place of Tom Flynn for Galway, and Damien Comer has now been named as a substitute.
Anthem being sung, and it’s almost time for throw-in.
THROW-IN: We’re underway with Sean Hurson throwing the ball in.
Galway 0-1 Mayo 0-0
1 min – Galway strike first through Dessie Conneely. Bright start for the Tribe.
Galway 0-1 Mayo 0-1
3 mins – Mayo have had a lively start themselves, getting in on goal early on. Tommy Conroy gets them off the mark.
Mayo 0-2 Galway 0-1
4 mins – Cillian O’Connor with his first of the day from play to put the Green and Red into the lead.
Mayo 0-3 Galway 0-1
6 mins – Chances at both ends amount to nothing, before Conroy grabs his second and Mayo’s third.
Mayo 0-3 Galway 0-1
8 mins - Mayo are patient in their build-up, throwing the ball around nicely and enjoying possession but Ryan O’Donoghue puts his effort wide. Another from Lee Keegan sweeps across the face of goal.
Mayo 0-3 Galway 0-1
11 mins – Galway could do with a score here, they haven’t raised a white flag since Conneely’s first-minute effort. They have a lot of men back as Mayo look bright early on.
Mayo 0-4 Galway 0-1
13 mins – A lovely score from Diarmuid O’Connor after good work from Eoghan McLaughlin. Mayo’s patience pays dividends in the long run, as the Tribe keep a close eye on Aidan O’Shea.
Mayo 0-5 Galway 0-1
15 mins – Paddy Durcan continues his glittering scoring form to put Mayo into a four-point lead. Comes shortly after Matthew Ruane dispossessed Cillian McDaid at the other end.
Mayo 0-5 Galway 0-1
17 mins – Missed chances at both ends, the breeze in Salthill showing.
Mayo 0-5 Galway 0-2
19 mins – Shane Walsh fires over a free from close-range to end Galway’s 18 or 19-minute scoreless spell.
Waterbreak time…
Mayo 0-5 Galway 0-2
21 mins – Mayo enduring a scoreless period of their own, O’Connor uncharacteristically missing a free, though it wasn’t the easiest.
Galway have upped the ante since the restart.
Mayo 0-6 Galway 0-2
23 mins – Ryan O’Donoghue with Mayo’s latest score off a mark. Crucial interception from Chris Barrett to stop Sean Kelly, who was on his bike just beforehand.
Ronan Steed comes in for Céin D’Arcy.
Mayo 0-6 Galway 0-2
25 mins – Johnny Duane is down getting treatment, doesn’t look good…
Mayo 0-6 Galway 0-2
28 mins – Duane’s afternoon is over, with Gareth Bradshaw coming in. He looks to be in a bad way as he’s taken off on a buggy. It’s his left leg, looks like his knee buckled but can’t be quite sure. More horrible injury luck for Galway.
Mayo 0-6 Galway 0-2
29 mins – Back underway after that lengthy stoppage, O’Shea seeing plenty of the ball around the middle.
Mayo 0-7 Galway 0-2
32 mins – Ruane fists over after good work from Ryan O’Donoghue.
Before that, O’Connor had a go from well out but Galway ‘keeper Bernard Power dealt with the threat accordingly.
Mayo 0-7 Galway 0-3
34 mins - Walsh nails a free. Came after a massive hit from Paddy Durcan, for which he sees yellow. Six minutes added on after that lengthy stoppage.
Mayo 0-7 Galway 0-3
37 mins – A poor wide from Conor Loftus, another from Cillian O’Connor makes it wide number six for Mayo. Aidan O’Shea is up after getting treatment, following on from contact Paul Conroy – good bit of niggling going on between the pair.
Mayo 0-7 Galway 0-4
37 mins – Shane Walsh with a super score from play.
Mayo 0-8 Galway 0-4
38 mins – A stunning free from Cillian O’Connor, a difficult kick from the left-hand side, not far from the sideline.
Mayo 0-8 Galway 0-5
41 mins – Paul Kelly with a brilliant score for Galway as they reduce the gap to three.
HALF-TIME: Mayo 0-8 Galway 0-5
The most incompetent half of football I have seen this year. Mayo a mess, Galway a bigger mess. Half time whistle. Time to switch to @BBCSport
— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) November 15, 2020
Watch the Half-Time Highlights of @MayoGAA v @Galway_GAA in the Connacht Senior Football Final here on GAANOW!
— The GAA (@officialgaa) November 15, 2020
Half-Time Score:
Mayo: 0-08
Galway: 0-05 pic.twitter.com/emrRbnVpwQ
SECOND-HALF: We go again.
Half-time change for Mayo: Bryan Walsh replaces Ryan O’Donoghue.
Mayo 0-9 Galway 0-6
36 mins – What a start to the second half, points at both ends. O’Donnell and Ruane.
Mayo 0-10 Galway 0-6
38 mins – Conroy lands another super score for Mayo, now the game is catching fire.
Comes just after Johnny Heaney’s goal chance at the other end goes wide, forcing David Clarke into a full-span save.
Mayo 0-11 Galway 0-6
39 mins – Bryan Walsh with a peach of a score, outstanding effort from the sub.
Gary O’Donnell sees yellow for what seems to be persistent fouling.
Mayo 0-11 Galway 0-7
41 mins – Shane Walsh hits back at the other end with an unbelievable point, turning Lee Keegan inside out before firing over from way out.
Mayo 0-11 Galway 0-8
43 mins – Another one! Paul Conroy with an influential effort to make it a three-point game once again. Kieran Molloy is getting ready to come in.
We have that change, the Corofin man replaces Gary O’Donnell.
Mayo 0-11 Galway 0-9
45 mins – Galway’s free-taker Walsh nails another one. Damien Comer is heading out to warm up, could he come in?
Mayo 0-11 Galway 0-9
47 mins – Referee has been kept busy over the past few minutes, Sean Kelly the latest to see yellow after a trip.
Mayo 0-12 Mayo 0-9
49 mins – O’Connor taps over a free to end Galway’s run of three unanswered points after Kevin McLoughlin is fouled going in on goals.
Huge substitution for Galway as Damien Comer comes in, having struggled with a hamstring injury of late. Ian Burke comes off.
Mayo 0-12 Galway 0-10
52 mins – Conroy with another fantastic effort to put two in it, capitalising on a poor short kickout from Clarke. A poor wide from Galway came just before, with Lee Keegan sustaining a knock but he seems to be okay.
Waterbreak time once again…
Mayo 0-12 Galway 0-10
55 mins – Comer, wearing the number nine jersey, is getting stuck in. Crucial stage of the game now. Kevin McLaughlin has a pop from a close, tight angle but it comes off the post, a good chance missed there.
Mayo 0-13 Galway 0-10
57 mins – Cillian O’Connor puts a goal between the sides from a free.
Mayo 0-13 Galway 0-10
57 mins – Jordan Flynn comes in for Conor Loftus.
Mayo 0-13 Galway 0-10
60 mins – Mayo were just throwing the ball around there, patient in the build-up once again but Galway eventually break them down. Nothing comes off it at the other end after good work from Conneely.
Mark Moran comes in for Tommy Conroy.
Mayo 0-13 Galway 0-10
62 mins – Mayo kick their eighth wide, this one from Paddy Durcan. Galway are on the hunt for an important score at the other end…
Mayo 0-13 Galway 0-11
63 mins – And they get it through Shane Walsh. Another gorgeous point from the Kilkerrin-Clonberne man.
Mayo 0-13 Galway 0-11
63 mins – SAVE! Fantastic from Power to deny Eoghan McLaughlin.
Gary Sice replaces Paul Kelly, Keith Higgins comes in for Kevin McLoughlin.
Mayo 0-13 Galway 0-11
65 mins – The Tribe working really hard here, blocking down Diarmuid O’Connor. There’s a nasty looking collision just after, a few players down.
Mayo 0-14 Galway 0-11
67 mins – Galway capitalise on a Sice mistake around the middle, turning him over. The goal was on — 3 on 2 — but Bryan Walsh fists it over instead. Makes up for another recent O’Connor wide.
Mayo 0-14 Galway 0-12
68 mins – Frustrating for Galway as they kick another wide, not the right option in the moment. Then up steps Paul Conroy, with a superb score off his right.
Mayo 0-14 Galway 0-12
69 mins – Mayo lucky there, another short kick-out messing up and Keith Higgins is lucky to win a free out. Padraig Joyce is animated on the sideline as the clock runs down.
Four minutes added on…
Mayo 0-14 Galway 0-12
71 mins – Shane Walsh misses a difficult free, out near the sideline. Fionn McDonagh comes in for Matthew Ruane.
Mayo 0-14 Galway 0-12
73 mins – Another big Walsh free veers wide. It was a difficult one again, out on the right but in closer.
DRAMA now as Sean Kelly is brought down with the goal on, just outside the square…
Mayo 0-14 Galway 0-12
74 mins – Eoin McLaughlin sees black for that one. He had to do it, to be fair….
Walsh takes a point from the close-range free. One more play???
Mayo 0-14 Galway 0-13
75 mins – Sideline ball is brought back… Galway have one more go, it seems.
Remarkable scenes here, the ball goes missing as Mayo have a sideline ball now… there goes the whistle!
FULL-TIME: Mayo 0-14 Galway 0-13
Mayo win their first Connacht title since 2015, and book their All-Ireland semi-final spot in doing so. That’s the end of the road for Galway in 2020.
Captain Aidan O’Shea lifts the Nestor Cup. #mayogaa #champions pic.twitter.com/ghBTFncekd
— Mayo GAA (@MayoGAA) November 15, 2020
That’s all from me, but we’ll have a full report on The42 in the coming minutes. Thanks for reading, and enjoy the rest of your Sunday — which is no doubt filled with All The Sport!
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