Hello and welcome along to The42′s coverage of the Connacht SFC clash between Mayo and Galway in MacHale Park, Castlebar.
Kevin Walsh’s side are aiming for a third consecutive win over Mayo in the provincial championship, a record that Stephen Rochford’s charges will not want to facilitate on their home soil.
The previous meeting between these sides was back in February, when Galway came through with a victory over their rivals, who finished a heated encounter with 13 players.
But who will win today? As always, we want you to get involved in the build-up to the 4pm throw-in with your predictions and comments.
You can get in touch with us by posting in comment section below or send a tweet to @Shin_Farrell, who will taking you through the action.
We’ll have the team line-ups for you in the next few minutes and we’ll bring you any news of late changes on either side before throw-in, so do stay with us and enjoy the game!
Here’s how the teams are lining up at this point, but we will bring you news of any changes as they come in.
Mayo
1. David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites)
2. Eoghan O’Donoghue (Belmullet)
3. Ger Cafferkey (Ballina Stephenites)
4. Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis)
16. Bernard Power (Corofin)
17. Eamonn Brannigan (St Michael’s)
18. Frankie Burke (Annaghdown)
19. Ian Burke (Corofin)
20. Peter Cooke (Moycullen)
21. Johnny Duane (St James)
22. Seán Kelly (Moycullen)
23. Patrick Sweeney (Killanin)
24. Adrian Varley (Cortoon Shamrocks)
25. David Wynne (Moycullen)
26. Evan Wynne (Salthill-Knocknacarra)
When you have Mohammed, Dublin and King Garth’s backing then what could go wrong. Good luck to @MayoGAA today for the big one in Castlebar. Gutted I can’t be there. #mayogaa 💚❤️ pic.twitter.com/3R9xYGsX2m
2) Mayo keeper David Clarke was speaking about Mayo’s All-Ireland final defeat to Dublin and why he had no hesitation in committing himself to the panel again in 2018.
“When you enjoy playing football and training, you just try to make the most of it and get out there as much as you can.
“Obviously I’m getting a bit older now so you try and make the most of every year you’re around the set up and see what happens. But when I go to bed I’m not crying myself to sleep.”
Another chapter will be added to the rivalry today.
Championship heartbreak, hunger abound. Mayo and Galway get ready to do it all again. The quest to avoid a much tougher test and secure provincial honours. Don't miss it. @rte2@rteplayer. We're live from 1;15pm. pic.twitter.com/7yXxLXLZ6v
Lee Keegan tells the Sunday Game that he was close to being fit for today’s game and is hopeful that he will be available for the next outing.
Two changes on the Mayo team before throw-in: Chris Barrett in for Ger Cafferkey and Jason Doherty replaces Cillian O’Connor.
This will be Barrett’s first game since last years all Ireland final after missing the national league through injury.
3Mins
Mayo 0-0 Galway 0-0
A place in the Connacht semi-finals is up for grabs. Who will claim it? We are underway in Castlebar.
5Mins
Mayo 0-1 Galway 0-0
Conor Loftus gets Mayo off the mark with a well taken free. First blood to the home side.
6Mins
Mayo 0-1 Galway 0-0
Andy Moran earns a free for Mayo after a challenge from Gareth Bradshaw. Mayo have made a strong start to the tie.
5Mins
Mayo 0-1 Galway 0-0
Kevin McLoughlin hits the post with his effort off the left boot. He will be disappointed with that.
McLoughlin went to the ground shortly after and the referee hands out a yellow card to Eoghan Kerin.
56Mins
Mayo 0-1 Galway 0-0
Mayo pressing well into Galway’s half. Paddy Durcan goes for a shot from distance but it’s a wasteful effort and that’s their second miss of the early stages.
Galway need to get their hands on the ball and start creating some chances.
8Mins
Mayo 0-1 Galway 0-1
Super score from Seán Armstrong. He fetches a high ball well, turns his man and sweeps it over the bar.
Great response from Galway to level the tie in the eighth minute.
Meanwhile, Aidan O’Shea misses an opportunity for a score.
14Mins
Mayo 0-1 Galway 0-2
Damien Comer opens up his tally for the afternoon with a lovely strike off the right boot. He gathered the ball out near the sidelines and turned on the afterburners to cut inside his man and pop it over the bar.
Galway hold a one-point lead.
14Mins
Mayo 0-1 Galway 0-2
Diarmuid O’Connor hits Mayo’s fourth wide and he will be disappointed with that shot from close range.
Mayo wasting a lot of possession and scoreable chances.
14Mins
Mayo 0-1 Galway 0-3
Chris Barrett fouls Comer and Barry McHugh scores a brilliant free off the ground from a tricky angle.
Comer creating problems for Barrett.
14Mins
Mayo 0-1 Galway 0-3
Superb defending from Galway there to hold Moran who was in a dangerous position.
Disciplined tackling gets them a free out and they continue to hold that two-point advantage.
18Mins
Mayo 0-1 Galway 0-4
McHugh hits his second free of the afternoon to push Galway three points in front after 17 minutes. Confident strike from the championship debutant and Mayo need a response.
19Mins
Mayo 0-2 Galway 0-4
Mayo needed a score and Diarmuid O’Connor has reduced the gap to two with his side’s first point in some 15 minutes.
20Mins
Mayo 0-2 Galway 0-5
And Comer slots over his second point to edge his side back into a three-point lead.
20Mins
Mayo 0-3 Galway 0-5
The sides are trading scores with Loftus converting another free to keep Mayo in touch with the visitors.
21Mins
Mayo 0-4 Galway 0-5
A third point for Loftus and manager Stephen Rochford will be much happier now as Mayo start to impose themselves on the contest.
25Mins
Mayo 0-4 Galway 0-5
Tom Parsons misses a great opportunity to level the sides and that’s Mayo’s fifth wide of the day.
They may come to regret all those missed chances after the full-time whistle.
27Mins
Mayo 0-5 Galway 0-5
We’re level in MacHale Park for the second time, with Kevin McLoughlin scoring the equaliser.
It’s a tense encounter with Galway opting for that defensive structure.
28Mins
Mayo 0-5 Galway 0-6
Great defending from Seán Andy Ó Ceallaigh to intercept the ball and the move eventually ends with Shane Walsh hitting a great score and put his side back in front.
Flag31Mins
Mayo 0-5 Galway 0-6
Red card! Diarmuid O’Connor has been sent off for leading with elbow in trying to shake off Paul Conroy.
Mayo down to 14 at the half-hour mark and that’s a massive blow for Mayo. Conroy is going off to get some treatment and a blood sub will be coming in.
Great Ciaran Duggan point just moments after that sending off. Can Mayo stay in this tie with 14 players?
35Mins
Mayo 0-5 Galway 0-7
Great defensive work on both sides. Cathal Sweeney steals the ball away for Galway and Aidan O’Shea executes a brilliant turnover a few seconds later.
One minute of normal time remaining in the first half.
35Mins
Three minutes of added time to be played.
37Mins
Mayo 0-5 Galway 0-7
Brilliant goalkeeping from David Clarke. Comer hit a wayward shot into the danger area, but Clarke did well to position himself under the ball and gather it cleanly with a few bodies around him.
38Mins
Mayo 0-6 Galway 0-7
Moran posts his first point of the day and that’s a timely score as the half-time whistle looms. He turned his man well and tapped it over to give his side a lift.
Flag40Mins
HT: Galway lead Mayo by one point in the Connacht SFC quarter-final.
Keith Higgins hits the equaliser! The brilliant defender scores at the end of one of his rampaging runs.
43Mins
Mayo 0-8 Galway 0-7
McLoughlin puts Mayo in front.
It came from a counter-attack after Shane Walsh hit an effort into the keeper’s hands.
43Mins
Mayo 0-8 Galway 0-8
Redemption for Walsh. He makes it a level game once again with a great strike just moments after he kicked the ball short.
48Mins
Mayo 0-8 Galway 0-8
Cillian O’Connor is warming up on the sideline. It looks like he’s going to make an introduction as Tom Parsons receives treatment. It looks like he will be making way.
49Mins
Mayo 0-8 Galway 0-8
Huge round of applause for Parsons, who is being brought off. O’Connor will take his place and Mayo will be looking to him for leadership with the game in the balance.
51Mins
Mayo 0-8 Galway 0-8
Galway substitution: Eamonn Brannigan is coming on for Declan Kyne.
52Mins
Mayo 0-8 Galway 0-8
Paul Conroy is out of the game with a bad injury to his face, he won't be coming back on.
The pace has dropped in the game. There’s lots of bodies stopping the flow and Galway are trying to work the ball around with the hand-passing game.
56Mins
Mayo 0-8 Galway 0-9
Mayo concede a free in a very scoreable position for Shane Walsh and he curls it over with his left foot to register his third point of the game.
Galway lead in the 56th minute.
56Mins
Mayo 0-9 Galway 0-9
Moran on target again and there is no separating these sides.
61Mins
Mayo 0-9 Galway 0-9
Huge shot from Moran but it trails past the wrong side of the post and that brings Mayo’s wides tally up to nine.
Meanwhile, Mayo are making a change and bringing on David Drake for Conor Loftus.
63Mins
Mayo 0-10 Galway 0-10
Brilliant long-range point from Ciaran Duggan to edge Galway in front but Cillian O’Connor sends the ball over the black spot.
We are level once more and it sets up a very tense conclusion to the game.
65Mins
Mayo 0-10 Galway 0-11
The scores are coming in thick and fast. Substitute Seán Kelly makes a great introduction by taking the smart option and fist-passing the ball over the bar.
He came on for Tom Flynn just a minute earlier.
67Mins
Mayo 0-10 Galway 0-11
Galway hold a slender one-point lead as the game opens up a bit. Galway’s defence does well to hold up James Durcan and secure a free.
The ball ends up in the hands of Barry McHugh but his shot from distance tails wide.
70Mins
Mayo 0-10 Galway 0-11
Brilliant interception from Brannigan to cut out a hand-pass from Andy Moran. Some sloppy play from Gary O’Donnell at the other end sees Mayo win possession back.
Meanwhile, Cian Hanley is on for Mayo in place of Seamie O’Shea and Johnny Duane replaces Galway’s Gareth Bradshaw.
70Mins
Eight minutes of added time to be played following the long stoppage in play for Tom Parsons’ injury.
73Mins
Mayo 0-11 Galway 0-11
We’re level in MacHale Park! Kevin McLoughlin scores to level the tie for the eighth time.
Are we heading for a draw?
74Mins
Mayo 0-11 Galway 0-11
Cillian O’Connor gets a yellow card for a challenge on Seán Andy Ó Ceallaigh.
Flag75Mins
GOAL!! Johnny Heaney hits the back of the net for Galway.
O’Connor pops over a free for Mayo to leave them two adrift of Galway following that cracking Heaney goal into the roof of the Mayo net.
Colm Boyle tries to bring his side back to within a point but sends it wide.
78Mins
Mayo 0-12 Galway 1-12
Tom Flynn races in to pop the ball over the bar with the fist. And with less than a minute to go, it looks like that is the insurance score for Galway.
Flag79Mins
FT: Galway defeat Mayo in the Connacht SFC quarter-final
A fantastic goal from the boot of Johnny Heaney proves to be the decisive score as Connacht inflict a third consecutive championship defeat on their rivals Mayo.
Diarmuid O’Connor’s sending off was a pivotal moment but Mayo had plenty of possession and could have won this tie despite being a man down.
Galway will go on now to take on Sligo in the Connacht SFC semi-final.
83Mins
Well that’s all from us folks.
We hope you all enjoyed the action this afternoon and we hope you’ll join us again for the next outing in the 2018 championship.
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