ROSCOMMON CAME FROM 13 points adrift in the final half hour to carve out a thrilling victory over neighbours Galway at Pearse Stadium.
Galway looked poised for their second win of the campaign when they extended their 11-point interval lead but Roscommon never gave up and produced a storming comeback to secure their third win of the league.
Roscommon, having opted to play against the strong wind and rain in front of a crowd of 6,043, trailed by 0-16 to 0-5 at the interval despite starting with the opening two points of the match from a Diarmuid Murtagh free and the first of Daire Cregg’s three points in the opening half.
Galway finally settled and Rob Finnerty got them off the mark after 10 minutes, with Matthew Tierney and Seán Kelly following with points.
Cregg fisted an effort for Roscommon but with Galway winning most of the kickouts around the middle with captain John Maher leading the way, they took over and pulled 0-9 to 0-3 in front after 24 minutes, with Matthew Tierney and Liam Ó Conghaile landing two-pointers.
Roscommon, with Enda Smith working hard at centre-forward, pulled back a point from Murtagh before Ó Conghaile got his second two-pointer and Maher, Finnerty and Shane McGrath quickly followed with points.
Cregg’s third point came three minutes from the interval but Galway finished strongly with McGrath and Finnerty finding the range with all of their opening half haul of 0-16 coming from play.
Kelly and Cregg exchanged points after the restart before Galway, with the rain abating and the wind easing, pushed the lead out to 13 points as Finnerty and Ó Conghaile found the range.
But Roscommon hit back. Cregg and Murtagh struck points and then Smith soloed through and fired low to the left corner to cut the margin to 0-20 to 1-8 after Dylan McHugh had pointed for Galway after 49 minutes.
Cregg fisted his sixth point of the contest and then Murtagh landed Roscommon’s first two-pointer before Cregg added a free to reduce the margin to 0-20 to 1-12 with eleven minutes remaining.
Advertisement
High fielding: Galway’s John Maher and Conor Ryan of Roscommon. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Galway manager Padraic Joyce responded by bringing on former Footballer of the Year Paul Conroy for the start of his 19th campaign with the Tribesmen but it was Roscommon who continued to eat into the lead with goalkeeper Aaron Brady converting a 45 to leave four between them ten minutes from time.
Dylan Ruane cut that advantage in half with a two-pointer from the left and then Smith set up Cregg after picking up a loose clearance and the Boyle clubman drilled the ball to the net to put Roscommon in front by a point with five minutes left.
Galway got level a two minutes from time when Kelly pointed but then Roscommon countered and Smith set up Ciaran Lennon for the winning point in the final minute.
Galway had a chance to snatch it at the death but goalkeeper Brady saved from substitute Oisín MacDonnacha in the final play of a gripping match.
Scorers for Roscommon: Daire Cregg 1-7 (0-2f), Diarmuid Murtagh 0-5 (1 2pt score), Enda Smith 1-0, Dylan Ruane 0-2 (1 2pt score), Aaron Brady 0-1 (’45), Ciaran Lennon 0-1.
Scorers for Galway: Liam Ó Conghaile 0-6 (2 2pt scores), Robert Finnerty 0-4, Matthew Tierney 0-3 (1 2pt score), Sean Kelly 0-3, Shane McGrath 0-2, John Maher 0-2, Dylan McHugh 0-1.
Roscommon
1. Aaron Brady (Elphin)
2. Paddy Gavin (Clann na n Gael), 3. Caelim Keogh (Pádraig Pearses), 4. Niall Higgins (Navan O’Mahony’s)
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
7 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Roscommon come from 13 points down to beat Galway on the road
Allianz Football League Division 1
Galway 0-21
Roscommon 2-16
John Fallon reports from Pearse Stadium
ROSCOMMON CAME FROM 13 points adrift in the final half hour to carve out a thrilling victory over neighbours Galway at Pearse Stadium.
Galway looked poised for their second win of the campaign when they extended their 11-point interval lead but Roscommon never gave up and produced a storming comeback to secure their third win of the league.
Roscommon, having opted to play against the strong wind and rain in front of a crowd of 6,043, trailed by 0-16 to 0-5 at the interval despite starting with the opening two points of the match from a Diarmuid Murtagh free and the first of Daire Cregg’s three points in the opening half.
Galway finally settled and Rob Finnerty got them off the mark after 10 minutes, with Matthew Tierney and Seán Kelly following with points.
Cregg fisted an effort for Roscommon but with Galway winning most of the kickouts around the middle with captain John Maher leading the way, they took over and pulled 0-9 to 0-3 in front after 24 minutes, with Matthew Tierney and Liam Ó Conghaile landing two-pointers.
Roscommon, with Enda Smith working hard at centre-forward, pulled back a point from Murtagh before Ó Conghaile got his second two-pointer and Maher, Finnerty and Shane McGrath quickly followed with points.
Cregg’s third point came three minutes from the interval but Galway finished strongly with McGrath and Finnerty finding the range with all of their opening half haul of 0-16 coming from play.
Kelly and Cregg exchanged points after the restart before Galway, with the rain abating and the wind easing, pushed the lead out to 13 points as Finnerty and Ó Conghaile found the range.
But Roscommon hit back. Cregg and Murtagh struck points and then Smith soloed through and fired low to the left corner to cut the margin to 0-20 to 1-8 after Dylan McHugh had pointed for Galway after 49 minutes.
Cregg fisted his sixth point of the contest and then Murtagh landed Roscommon’s first two-pointer before Cregg added a free to reduce the margin to 0-20 to 1-12 with eleven minutes remaining.
Galway manager Padraic Joyce responded by bringing on former Footballer of the Year Paul Conroy for the start of his 19th campaign with the Tribesmen but it was Roscommon who continued to eat into the lead with goalkeeper Aaron Brady converting a 45 to leave four between them ten minutes from time.
Dylan Ruane cut that advantage in half with a two-pointer from the left and then Smith set up Cregg after picking up a loose clearance and the Boyle clubman drilled the ball to the net to put Roscommon in front by a point with five minutes left.
Galway got level a two minutes from time when Kelly pointed but then Roscommon countered and Smith set up Ciaran Lennon for the winning point in the final minute.
Galway had a chance to snatch it at the death but goalkeeper Brady saved from substitute Oisín MacDonnacha in the final play of a gripping match.
Scorers for Roscommon: Daire Cregg 1-7 (0-2f), Diarmuid Murtagh 0-5 (1 2pt score), Enda Smith 1-0, Dylan Ruane 0-2 (1 2pt score), Aaron Brady 0-1 (’45), Ciaran Lennon 0-1.
Scorers for Galway: Liam Ó Conghaile 0-6 (2 2pt scores), Robert Finnerty 0-4, Matthew Tierney 0-3 (1 2pt score), Sean Kelly 0-3, Shane McGrath 0-2, John Maher 0-2, Dylan McHugh 0-1.
Roscommon
1. Aaron Brady (Elphin)
2. Paddy Gavin (Clann na n Gael), 3. Caelim Keogh (Pádraig Pearses), 4. Niall Higgins (Navan O’Mahony’s)
5. Eoin Ward (Fuerty), 6. Ronan Daly (Pádraig Pearses), 7. Senan Lambe (Roscommon Gaels)
8. Keith Doyle (St Dominic’s), 9. Conor Ryan (Pádraig Pearses)
10. Dylan Ruane (Michael Glaveys), 11. Enda Smith (Boyle), 12. Darragh Heneghan (Michael Glaveys)
13. Diarmuid Murtagh (St Faithleach’s – captain), 14. Daire Cregg (Boyle), 15. Robert Heneghan (Michael Glaveys)
Substitutes
Galway
1 . Eamon McGrath (Claregalway)
2. Jonathan McGrath (Caherlistrane), 3. Seán Fitzgerald (CLG Bhearna), 4. Jack Glynn (Claregalway)
5. Cian Hernon (CLG Bhearna), 6. Dylan McHugh (Corofin), 7. Seán Kelly (Maigh Cuilinn)
8. John Maher (Salthill/Knocknacarra – captain), 9. Matthew Tierney (Oughterard)
10. Shane McGrath (Dunmore MacHales), 11. Ryan Roche (Killannin), 12. Céin D’Arcy (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
13. Robert Finnerty (Salthill/Knocknacarra), 14. Fionn McDonagh (Maigh Cuilinn), 15. Liam Ó Conghaile (CLG An Spidéal)
Subs
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).
******
Results - Allianz Football League
Division 2
Division 4
******
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Division 1 Football League fightback GAA Match Report