Shane Walsh return stirs 14-man Galway comeback
BATTLE: Monaghan's Dessie Ward with Dylan McHugh and Paul Conroy of Galway. Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady
Galway manager Padraic Joyce admitted he was surprised at how good a shape Shane Walsh was in when he returned last Sunday from several weeks' holiday in Australia after helping Kilmacud Crokes to win the All-Ireland club title.
Joyce and his management wasted little time in adding their star player to the matchday squad for the clash against Monaghan in Salthill and drafted him off the bench seven minutes after the restart.
By then Galway were in a degree of bother, with Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan extending their interval lead of 0-8 to 0-7 with his second point, with the Tribesmen down to 14 men after Peter Cooke was sent off just before the interval.
Walsh’s introduction finally gave voice to the home support in the crowd of 5,275 and while the All Star wasn’t a key figure in their comeback, he still showed some deft touches and space opened up as the Monaghan rearguard tried to restrict his input.
“He came back last week, he's in better shape than we thought going back so we'd no choice but to get a bit of game time into him,” said Joyce.
“He didn't set the world on fire, don't get me wrong, but it's great to have him back and have his presence back around the dressing room. His influence on the lads is great as well.”
Galway were relegated two years ago when they collapsed in the closing stages against Monaghan but they drove on impressively in this one, even with 14 men, when they got their noses in front.
“The most pleasing thing from us is that we closed the game out properly this time, we didn't leave Monaghan hanging in with chances and all that kind of stuff,” added Joyce.
He had to make a couple of late changes after corner-back Jack Glynn and full-forward Ian Burke suffered groin injuries in the warm-up, and the sides were level six times in the opening half when Monaghan had the breeze.
Monaghan, who kept plenty of men behind the ball before going forward in surges, finished the half strongly with Cillian Lavelle, Dessie Ward, Michael Bannigan and Beggan’s second point helping them lead by 0-8 to 0-7 at the interval.
Galway lost Cooke at the end of the half, moments after he had kicked a good point, when he retaliated after Bannigan tangled with him on the ground and referee Conor Lane issued a red card.
“I'd no issue,” added Joyce. “I spoke to Conor after the game, it was one of those entanglements where 'who pulled who down?' They should have got up and away from it, Peter was nearly away and he fell on him again with his knees. It probably looked worse than what it was, it was a bit innocuous, it just happened and there's nothing we can do about it."
Beggan doubled the lead two minutes after the restart but Galway hit back with three points in a row from John Daly, Sean Kelly and Johnny Heaney, the latter two coming from good goal chances.
Another Beggan free was followed by two excellent points from Rob Finnerty before Cathal Sweeney set up Johnny Heaney for a goal seven minutes from time after Monaghan failed to deal with a high free from Conroy and there was no way back from there for Vinny Corey’s men who shot eight wides after the break.
“The second half just wasn't good enough,” said Corey, who was also forced to make a late change with Sean Jones slotting in for Jack McCarron. “We knew the second half was going to be difficult because the wind was picking up all the time. But we did have a spare man to help balance that out.
“We started the second half alright. It was kind of up and down as we thought it would be, as the first half was. We had eight or nine wides, with three or four drop shorts. The longer that went on, the more deflating it was.
“Then we gave away a real bad goal. There was two points in it at that stage. Once Galway went five clear with that breeze at their backs, it was going to be difficult after that.”
J Heaney (1-1); M Tierney (0-3, 2 frees); R Finnerty (0-3); P Conroy (0-3, 1 free); S Kelly, J Daly, P Cooke (0-1 each).
R Beggan (0-4 frees); S Jones (0-2); C McCarthy (free), D Ward, M Bannigan, C Lavelle (0-1 each).
C Gleeson; J McGrath, E Kelly, S Kelly; D McHugh, J Daly, D O’Flaherty; P Conroy, M Tierney; Paul Kelly, P Cooke, C Sweeney; R Finnerty, Patrick Kelly, J Heaney.
S Walsh for Patrick Kelly (42), J Maher for O’Flaherty (64), C Hernon for Sweeney (71).
R Beggan; T McPhillips, K Duffy, R Wylie; C Boyle, D Ward, R O’Toole; D Hughes, C Lavelle; S O’Hanlon, M Bannigan, C McCarthy; S Jones, K Gallagher, F Kelly.
S Carey for Kelly (half-time), C McManus for Jones (47), K Hughes for Gallagher (65), C Lennon for D Hughes (74).
Conor Lane (Cork).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
