O’Donoghue stunner leaves Galway and Mayo all square after Castlebar cracker
Mayo manager Kevin McStay, left, and Galway manager Padraic Joyce after the drawn Allianz Football League Division 1 match between Mayo and Galway at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar, Mayo. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Their marquee man and his heir apparent. Staring down the barrel with the final whistle about to ring, Ryan O’Donoghue summoned a stunning equaliser to leave the furious neighbours all square in a MacHale Park humdinger.
Cillian O’Connor had already sprung from the bench to draw Mayo level but a Damien Comer free had Galway ahead once again. There was time for one final play as O’Donoghue made up for a dropped short sideline to gather a poor Cathal Sweeney clearance and convert.
Some start, some competition.
“This is what we live for,” declared Kevin McStay in his match programme piece. Two hours before curtain call and there was already a queue out front. In fact, there was two. One for the gates and one for the programmes. Meanwhile, the N17 and N8 were well populated as a reinvigorated Tribe made the trip in numbers. If enthusiasm could be bottled, the 13,654 in Castlebar would have filled a tanker.
Galway started with five representatives from Connacht club champions Moycullen. In defence Neil Mulcahy and Eoghan Kelly made their debut, as did Salthill Knocknacarra’s Daniel O’Flaherty. At the other end Dessie Conneely and Damien Comer were kept close to goal with David McBrien, a late change before throw-in, charged with marking the target man.
Paul Conroy found joy with an early long ball that Comer curled over for the first score of the day. Comer also drew the first rumble from the away support when he drilled Stephen Coen over the sideline to stifle Mayo’s first attack.
Mayo had cause to roar in response when a superb James Carr solo goal crashed in off the crossbar. Matthew Tierney flicked in a short Johnny Heaney moments later to raise the volume even further. Midway through the first half, the margin was just one point. By half-time it was two.
In front of the Galway inside line, Conor Loftus worked hard to stay free and hold the centre. When he was unable to do so Jordan Flynn picked up the slack. Enda Hession went to the wing and followed Paul Kelly everywhere, even to the sideline when Cian O’Neill tried to deliver some instruction during a break in play.
It was typical modern football. A five-minute frenzy followed by five minutes of naught. Both sides were willing to kick it long when the opportunity presented itself. It seesawed towards an almighty crescendo.
Some 11 seconds after the turnaround Matthew Ruane cut the gap to the minimum. An O’Donoghue free and Diarmuid O’Connor point from range flipped the game. After 18 minutes without a score, Galway needed a lift. Their captain and leader Seán Kelly stood up to provide it with a trademark burst from deep and goal.
After a collision with Seán Kelly, Ruane was then sent to the line for ten minutes in one of three black card incidents. Eoghan Kelly picked up one in the first half. Cillian McDaid went the same way after pulling down Aidan O’Shea in the 62nd minute.
With five minutes left, Jack Glynn was deemed to foul O’Donoghue off the ball and the free from inside the D left it all square. With the stewards falling into their after-match positions, Peter Cooke marked his return with an outstanding free off the ground from outside the 45.
After wides by Ryan O’Donoghue and Eoghan McLaughlin, Cillian O’Connor came off the bench to kick a much-needed equaliser. They stood toe-to-toe, going punch for punch until the closing bell.
After O’Donoghue’s final score, he exchanged a friendly word and pat on the back with Seán Kelly. Acknowledgement perhaps of a fair outcome and a fitting cracker to kick off 2023.
Ryan O’Donoghue 0-6 (4f), James Carr 1-0, Jordan Flynn 0-1, Matthew Ruane 0-1, Diarmuid O’Connor 0-1, Bob Tuohy 0-1, Cillian O’Connor 0-1.
Matthew Tierney 1-0, Seán Kelly 1-0, Damien Comer 0-3 (1m, 1f), Cillian McDaid 0-1, Paul Kelly 0-1, Rob Finnerty 0-1, Paul Conroy 0-1, Peter Cooke 0-1 (1f).
C Reape; J Coyne, D McBrien, R Brickenden; E Hession; C Loftus, S Coen (C); M Ruane, D O’Connor; B Tuohy, J Carney, J Flynn; A Orme, J Carr, R O’Donoghue.
A O’Shea for Orme (51), E McLaughlin for O’Connor (51), K McLaughlin for Carney (54), C O’Connor for Carr (64), P Towey for Tuohy (75).
C Gleeson; E Kelly, S Kelly (C), N Mulcahy; D McHugh, J Daly, D O’Flaherty; P Conroy, C McDaid; P Kelly, M Tierney, J Heaney; R Finnerty, D Comer, D Conneely.
P Cooke for Finnerty (25), C Sweeney for P Kelly (43), E Finnerty for Conneely (49), J Glynn for O’Flaherty (59) G Davoren for Tierney (64).
Joe McQuillan (Cavan)
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