Holders Roscommon keep battling Galway at bay
The Tribesmen finished the match with 13 men, having lost midfielder Michael Daly to a second yellow card on the stroke of half-time and sub Joseph Donnellan to a black card in the 48th minute when Galway had used six subs.
But a slicker Roscommon side, who were blighted by a number of injuries coming into the match, always kept their noses in front with the full-forward line of Diarmuid Murtagh, Hubert Darcy and Cathal Callinan contributing 1-8 between them.
The home side’s cause was helped by a 12th minute penalty converted by Murtagh when Michael Daly failed to field Cathal Callinan’s “up and under”. Brian Kelly was fouled and Murtagh emphatically arrowed his spot kick to the corner of the net.
Roscommon led 1-7 to 0-5 at the break.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Galway made a blistering start to the second half and Donnellan goaled within a minute of the restart.
But Roscommon didn’t press the panic button and points from Murtagh (a free), Callinan, Darcy (2), and Kevin Farrell put the home side in the driving seat.
But the goal Galway craved didn’t arrive and they were left to rue having to make a raft of substitutions so early on the game. For Roscommon, it was a first win on home soil at U21 level against Galway since 1982 and the promise of greater prosperity in the weeks ahead.
D Murtagh 1-2 (1 pen, 1f), C Callinan 0-4, H Darcy, F Lennon, C Compton (1f) 0-2 each, J Connaughton, K Farrell, H Walsh (1f), A Lyons 0-1 each
P Cooke (2f, 2 45s) 0-5, J Donnellan, R Green 1-0 each, E Brannigan 0-2, E Tierney, C McWalter 0-1, P Mannion (1f) 0-1 each.
S Mannion; J Connaughton, S Mullolly, F Lennon; R Daly, E McGrath, B Stack; T O’Rourke, C Compton; K Farrell, H Walsh, B Kelly; D Murtagh, H Darcy, C Callinan.
K Beirne for McGrath (18), A Lyons for Kelly (46), R Raftery for Callinan (52), K Smyth for Darcy (55).
T O’Malley; L Burke, O Canney, R Green; K Molloy, E Tierney, B Shaughnessy; M Daly, P Cooke; J Lyons, E Brannigan, P Mannion; A Ó Laoi, E Finnerty, C Mannion.
C McWalter for Lyons (22), J Donnellan for Finnerty (h-t), C Ó Braonain for Shaughnessy (31), SA Kelly for Canney (36), M Reddington for Ó Laoi (38), K Nally for Ó Braonain (48).
J Henry (Mayo).
