Mayo hammer Galway in one-sided league opener

Galway’s Céin Darcy with Eoghan McLaughlin of Mayo

Allianz FL Division 1: Galway 0-10 Mayo 2-12 

Mayo bested Galway all over the field on their way to an eight-point victory in Pearse Stadium to leave Pádraic Joyce’s record against their rivals at one win from eight games in league and championship.

Kevin McStay started one debutant in Conor Reid, a late change for Stephen Coen, and they roared into the tie from off. The away side led 1-6 to 0-5 by half-time even after playing into a gale and being reduced to 14 men after a Ryan O’Donoghue black card.

Fergal Boland was cut from the panel when McStay took charge but here a year later, he was handed an opportunity and took it with both hands. The half-forward landed Mayo’s first point, added another before the break and assisted Eoghan McLoughlin for a decisive goal.

Boland went and bettered it with a long-range beauty at the start of the second half.

At the other end, Galway couldn’t get to grips with the elements and racked up a 41% conversion when playing with the wind. Debutant Liam Ó Conghaile showed brightly in an otherwise malfunctioning attacking system. Damien Comer was pulled from the team before throw-in and his replacement only lasted 19 minutes. Niall Daly was taken off for Matthew Tierney at that point.

Eoghan McLaughlin of Mayo scores a goal

The home ship was taking on water all sides and the damage could have been worse. Ryan O’Donoghue was shown a black card for a trip on Eoghan Kelly moments after he was harshly denied a scoreable free. An Aidan O’Shea goal chance slipped away as a scrambling defence descended on him in the square. O’Shea had another goal chance stopped by a John Daly block however he was subsequently at the heart of a flowing move that saw Jack Coyne tee up Jordan Flynn.

A breakaway move was interrupted by a textbook David McBrien interception and led to a Bob Tuohy point. Johnny Heaney did not come out of the tunnel after the turnaround having given that wayward pass.

Paul Conroy emerged and tried to give Galway some much-needed composure. Galway could never find a dry spell and their first score from play in the second half came in the 70th minute through sub Cillian Ó Curraoin. Three frees and a 45 by Shane Walsh was all they could muster.

Meanwhile, Mayo did what they always do and drove on. Paul Towey impressed from the bench with two well-taken points. Paddy Durcan kicked a signature score from distance. Ballinrobe prospect Diarmuid Duffy broke in on goal but smashed a shot straight at Connor Gleeson. It mattered little as he was fouled in the process.

Cillian O’Connor stepped up to slot the penalty and complete a hammering.

Scorers for Galway: Shane Walsh 0-5 (3 frees, 1 45 free), Liam Ó Conghaile 0-2, Dylan McHugh 0-1, Cathal Sweeney 0-1, Cillian Ó Curraoin 0-1.

Scorers for Mayo: Fergal Boland 0-3, Eoghan McLoughlin 1-0, Cillian O’Connor 1-0 (pen), Jordan Flynn 0-2, Paul Towey 0-2, Ryan O’Donoghue 0-2 free, Bob Tuohy, Paddy Durcan, Jack Carney 0-1.

GALWAY: C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, E Kelly; S Mulkerrin, J Daly, K Molloy; J Maher, D McHugh; C Darcy, S Walsh, J Heaney; L Ó Conghaile, N Daly, C Sweeney.

Subs: M Tierney for Daly (19), P Conroy for Heaney (half-time), C Ó Curraoin for Molloy (50), R Finnerty for Darcy (53), D McHugh for Tuohy (63), D O’Flaherty for Ó Conghaile (64)

MAYO: C Reape, J Coyne, D McBrien, R Brickenden; P Durcan, S Callinan, E McLoughlin; J Carney, J Flynn; F Boland, B Tuohy, C Reid; T Conroy, A O’Shea, R O’Donoghue.

Subs: D Duffy for Reid (46), P Towey for Conroy (57), C O’Connor for O’Shea (60), S Coen for Boland (70).

Black card: R O’Donoghue 21-31.

Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone)