Galway grind out hard-fought win over Tyrone, but it comes at a cost

Padraic Joyce's injury list grew longer in the encounter with the Ulster outfit.

INTO TRAFFIC: Niall Devlin of Tyrone is tackled by John Daly, left, and Daniel O'Flaherty of Galway. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Tyrone 0-12 Galway 1-10 

A first win of their Allianz League campaign but a costly one. Galway dug out a one-point victory over Tyrone in Healy Park. However, there will be huge concern about a growing injury list with Matthew Tierney and Paul Conroy both unable to finish the tie.

They were already without Liam Silke, Shane Walsh, Damien Comer, Cillian McDaid and Jack Glynn for the trip. A dire run of injuries looks set to worsen.

Galway started the first half with purpose and finished it with lethargy. For 15 minutes they were excellent, Robert Finnerty leading the way with their opening point. The Salthill-Knocknacarra sharpshooter added a mark after a typically brilliant Conroy pass and followed it up with a curling point thanks to a John Daly delivery. They were 0-4 to 0-2 ahead after 22 minutes.

Then Niall Morgan came to the fore. Early on it was his terrific ball that led to a Ciaran Daly mark. He followed up a Peter Harte score with a driving run down the heart of the away side’s defence. Galway’s response was abysmal. Rather than go fast from the resulting kickout, Connor Gleeson took too long and was penalised by referee Joe McQuillan. Tyrone won the subsequent throw-in and Darragh Canavan scored.

Morgan added a long-range free before the turnaround while Galway took off young prospect Cillian Ó Curraoin for Cein Darcy. At half-time, they lost Conroy to injury with Rory Cunningham coming on for his debut.

From the throw-in, Galway roared out once again. Tierney scored immediately; Johnny Heaney capitalised on a sweeping counter-attack to draw them level.

Padraic Joyce ran his bench in search of another response. Captain Sean Kelly made his comeback. Daniel O’Flaherty was introduced and instigated a breach down the left wing immediately. His handpass found another sub, Rory Cunningham, who fed the oncoming Cathal Sweeney. The ball was blasted into the roof of the net and Galway were back in the lead.

O’Flaherty and Heaney tagged on well-taken scores. Not to be outdone, Michael McKernan unleashed an outside-of-the-boot beauty. On the hour mark Daly kicked his second to make the margin one.

A frantic conclusion saw both sides spur opportunities. Tierney dropped a 45-metre kick just short and injured himself in the process of striking it. Conn Kilpatrick dropped a shot short. Johnny McGrath pushed them two clear, yet a Kilpatrick mark brought a dramatic finale. In the end, Tyrone were unable to get a shot off before the final whistle.

Scorers for Tyrone: Ciaran Daly 0-3 (1 mark), Darragh Canavan 0-3 (1 free), Niall Morgan 0-2 (1 free), Michael McKernan 0-1, Peter Harte 0-1, Conall Devlin 0-1, Conn Kilpatrick 0-1.

Scorers for Galway: Robert Finnerty 0-4 (1 mark, 1 free), Cathal Sweeney 1-0, Johnny Heaney 0-2, Matthew Tierney 0-1, Paul Conroy 0-1, Johnny McGrath 0-1, Daniel O’Flaherty 0-1.

Tyrone: N Morgan; C Devlin, P Hampsey, A Clarke; C Quinn, M McKernan, N Devlin; B Kennedy, A Donaghy; S O’Donnell, C Kilpatrick, P Harte; L McGarrity, D Canavan, C Daly.

Subs: R Canavan for Canavan, K McGeary for McGarrity (both 56), M McGleenan for Donaghy (59C Donnelly for McKernan (73).

Galway: C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, S Mulkerrin; D McHugh, J Daly, K Molloy; P Conroy, J Maher; J Heaney, M Tierney, C Sweeney; R Finnerty, C Ó Curraoin, L Ó Conghaile.

Subs: C Darcy for Ó Curraoin (32), R Cunningham for Conroy (half-time -inj), D O Flaherty for Molloy (43), S Kelly for Ó Conghaile (49), N Daly for Tierney (64-inj).

Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan)