John Evans praises NUIG resolve
The home side only trailed by two points at the break, having played into the strong wind, but they lost their way in the second half. “When we looked like taking over the game at the start of the second half, I don’t think the resolve was there.
Maybe they had more resolve than us.”
Top scorers Peadar Ó Griofa fired his team in front inside the opening 20 seconds but Roscommon settled with frees from Murtagh, Senan Kilbride and a fine score from Colin Compton.
Three frees from full-forward Adrian Varley pushed the Galway students 0-5 to 0-3 to the good but points from Kilbride and Mark Healy levelled matters on 25 minutes. The visitors took a slender advantage into the break when Adrian Nolan and Ó Griofa (a free) found the target but Murtagh and Cregg wiped out that advantage on the restart.
But Roscommon’s chances nosedived when midfielder Cathal Shine was dismissed for a second yellow card. NUI Galway began to dictate and Ó Griofa was on hand to point the winner from a free in injury time.
Scorers for NUI Galway: P Ó Griofa 0-4 (3f), A Varley (3f) 0-3, C Davey, A Nolan, D Comer 0-1 each.
Scorers for Roscommon: S Kilbride 0-3 (1f), C Murtagh (1f) 0-2, C Compton, M Healy, C Cregg, D Murtagh 0-1 each.
NUI GALWAY: D O’Sullivan; D Murray, K McDonald, L Cullen; B Walsh, J McManus, A Nolan; E Ó hEochaidh, S Moran; C Connolly, C Davey, D Comer; P Ó Griofa, A Varley, R Connellan.
Subs: J Kennedy for Moran (23), D Cunnane for Ó hEochaidh (h/t), F Reilly for Walsh (h/t), C Brennan for Connellan (52), N Hickey for McManus (b/c, 59), K Gibbons for Ó Griofa (60).
ROSCOMMON: M Whyte; S McDermott, N Carty, N Collins; I Kilbride, N Daly, C Cafferky; C Shine, M Healy; R Stack, C Cregg, M Nally; C Compton, S Kilbride, C Murtagh.
Subs: D Murtagh for Compton (14), R Daly for Nally (52), B Murtagh for Stack (52), T Featherston for Collins (55).
Referee: J Molloy (Galway).
