Tribesmen slip out of Sligo’s grip

IT was a weekend of trials and tribulations for the Old Firm of Connacht football yet at the close of business in Pearse Stadium yesterday, Galway were still just about standing.

After Mayo’s qualifier horror on Saturday night, Galway entered yesterday’s Connacht SFC semi-final wary of the potential pitfall that existed against a vastly improved Sligo.

But possession of that knowledge did not seem to aid their cause and for long stretches they were on the cusp of a tame provincial exit. An insipid first-half display preceded mild improvements in the second-half and when Sligo’s electrifying corner-forward David Kelly popped over a 70th minute point, it looked like the score that copperfastened a famous triumph as they led 1-10 to 0-8 with the clocking ticking down.

And yet somehow Galway survived, conjuring up an astonishing injury-time recovery. It took place in lightning fashion. Páraic Joyce smashed over a point in the 71st minute, 30 seconds later he ferried the ball to Eoin Concannon who slammed a shot to the net and finally wing-back Gareth Bradshaw crowned the recovery by calmly converting a 72nd minute free in the final act of the game.

Bradshaw was a curious saviour for the Tribesmen. The free was awarded after Michael Meehan was felled left of goal, but with Nicky Joyce injured, Seán Armstrong sidelined after a 40th minute dismissal and the left-footed Páraic Joyce deeming the angle unfavourable, it was Bradshaw who volunteered. The Moycullen player’s nerve was rewarded and the anxieties that had plagued Galway all afternoon finally ceased.

It was an extraordinary finish to an ordinary game. Galway departed with renewed zest for championship combat and will relish the second chance in Markievicz Park on Saturday evening. What mental state the home team will be in will be significant. The Sligo players looked a dazed bunch at the final whistle as they attempted to fathom how they had managed to let the hosts snatch a draw. In the corresponding fixture last year, Galway mugged them for 1-1 in injury-time as they won by four but this late scoring show prompted far greater anguish.

Thirty-five minutes of powerful and dynamic football had paved the way for Sligo to enjoy a 1-8 to 0-2 advantage at the break, and Kevin Walsh looked on course to mastermind the downfall of his native county. When explaining the second-half transformation it is too simplistic to point to the late flurry of scores that Sligo conceded. Instead it is more important to examine the great constant of fixtures at the Salthill venue, the gale that blows in off the Atlantic and turns Pearse Stadium into a wind tunnel.

Sligo enjoyed its benefits in the first-half, but turning after the break found it difficult to mobilise their flowing game.

When Armstrong was dubiously shown a second yellow card in the 40th minute, the initiative returned to Sligo yet despite the personnel advantage they found themselves pinned back in their own half.

The enduring class of Páraic Joyce was the biggest factor underpinning Galway’s recovery. He stamped his authority on proceedings and supplied six rousing points that infused their flagging challenge with vitality. Micheal Meehan entered the fray amidst considerable fanfare in the 45th minute with his knee heavily strapped and while he did not score, he provided support to Joyce despite Sligo sitting Eamonn O’Hara in the defensive zone in front of them.

There were precious few signs that Joe Kernan had been able to impose his football vision on the Galway players.

The splendour of Sligo’s play left Galway trailing in their wake in at the interval. Young players like Cawley and Gilmartin have really grown in stature under the tutelage of Walsh and while the teams were tied at 0-2 apiece by the 9th minute, Sligo hit full speed for the remainder of the half. The figurehead of their play was Tubbercurry forward Kelly who is a joy to watch. His darting runs and nimble touches saw him tear apart the Galway defence, and it was mystifying that Alan Burke was left policing him all day. The highlight of Kelly’s work came in the 29th minute when he careered past Burke on the outside and planted a sublime strike across Faherty to the far corner.

A pair of Colm McGee frees swelled Sligo’s lead to nine at the break, and even if they struck five wides and dropped five shots short in that period, they still seemed in control. To be pegged back at the finish will gnaw at them but replicating their early form is the key to their hopes of victory on Saturday night.

Galway: A Faherty; K Fitzgerald, F Hanley, A Burke; G Bradshaw (0-1, 1f), D Blake, G O'Donnell; P Conroy, N Coleman; G Sice (0-1), S Armstrong, J Bergin (0-1); E Concannon (1-1), P Joyce (0-6, 3f), M Clancy.

Subs: M Meehan for M Clancy (40), D Cummins for P Conroy (61)

Sligo: P Greene; C Harrison, N McGuire, R Donovan; K Cawley (0-1), B Philips, J Davey; T Taylor (0-1), S Gilmartin; M Breheny (0-1), A Costello (0-1), E O'Hara; C McGee (0-3), K Sweeney, D Kelly (1-3).

Subs: E Mullen for K Sweeney (59).

Ref: D Coldrick (Meath).