Jubilant Joyce savours days like this
Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan after conceding his side's first goal, scored by Cathal Sweeney of Galway, during the Allianz Football League Division 1 match between Tyrone and Galway at O'Neills Healy Park in Omagh, Tyrone. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Settle. Galway’s campaign is progressing just fine, thanks for your concern. In Omagh they dug out a character-building one-point victory over Tyrone to make it three points out of an available six and highlight the fundamental reality that will define their season.
When the bulk of their stalwarts are represented on the pitch, Pádraic Joyce’s side can compete with any other contender. Here captain Sean Kelly made his return midway through the second half as they trailed by two points. They then scored immediately. Cathal Sweeney delivered a goal after some driving contributions from substitutes Rory Cunningham and Daniel O’Flaherty, a Man of the Match contender despite only coming on in the second half.
They held on down the stretch as Tyrone tried to engineer a final shooting opportunity. For the squad it was a morale-boosting result. For Joyce it was an affirming one.
“It is massive,” he said, “26 fit players came here today; we are going back down the road with two injured in Mattie (Tierney) and Paul (Conroy). They are a huge doubt for next week. Look, one thing I can say, never have I questioned the character of these lads since I got involved with Galway.
“The work they do for Galway is outstanding. People maybe don’t realise it. I know they got harsh criticism after first two games. That is the nature of the game. People are entitled to their opinion and the job we are in, you are going to get some here and there. But days like today are great. It makes it worthwhile. The lads know at the same time there is more in them.”Â
The good Joyce ship found itself in choppy waters over the past few months. A disappointing end to 2023, a host of niggling injuries that refused to alleviate, all kinds of conjecture about the makeup of the panel. It all spiralled to a nadir in January when neighbours Mayo came to Salthill and tanked them.
It was a bad defeat. It was January. Bad but far from critical. This week Joyce emerged to set the course and quell the noise, speaking on local radio pre-match about how they were caught with various niggles and knocks last year. In 2024, they were taking no chances. The spin was that this is a chance to develop the squad.
They were still without Liam Silke, Jack Glynn, Cillian McDaid, Shane Walsh and Damien Comer on Sunday. Tyrone had no Michael O’Neill, Cathal McShane, Mattie Donnelly, Conor Meyler and Darren McCurry. A day to make do with what you have while recognising reinforcements are on the way.
Midfielder Conroy was withdrawn at half-time with a dead leg and Tierney suffered an injury while striking a 45-metre kick. In their absence, O’Flaherty was immense from the bench kicking a point while creating the goal and a Johnny McGrath score. Providing the pace and power his manager was looking for.
“Kieran Molloy knows, and we said it at half-time, he has to get more urgency in his game,” Joyce explained post-match. “He didn't do it; we gave him five minutes to try and do it. He didn't do it. Danny did it in fairness to him. Sometimes young fellas bring you that, they play with no fear. He made a couple of incisive runs forward. He set up the goal. Huge impact.”Â
They started superbly, Robert Finnerty kicking three of his four points in the first 15 minutes. Then Padraig Hampsey got to grips with the inside forward and Tyrone took over. Goalkeeper Niall Morgan came to the fore, punching holes and picking passes.
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 Ă“ Curraoin for Cein Darcy. Evidently, Joyce is content to provide an opportunity, but the expectation is that players meet his particular standard. Their second half was better from the start, Tierney scoring from the throw-in and the outstanding Johnny Heaney quickly following it up with another.
For Tyrone, Ciarán Daly and Darragh Canavan each kicked three points in standout performances. Canavan, who won a Sigerson Cup medal with Ulster University midweek, was replaced ten minutes into the second half with the engine run dry.
A Michael McKernan corker brought them level after the goal concession, but they ended up with 54% conversion and several squandered opportunities down the stretch. Morgan missed a 45-metre kick. Conn Kilpatrick dropped a shot short. They ran out of time in the final attack as Joe McQuillan’s whistle sounded before any shot.
Tyrone take on Mayo next. Galway face Derry.
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 mark.
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.
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.
R Canavan for Canavan, K McGeary for McGarrity (both 56), M McGleenan for Donaghy (59), C Donnelly for McKernan (73).
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 Ă“ Curraoin, L Ă“ Conghaile.
C Darcy for Ă“ Curraoin (32), R Cunningham for Conroy inj (half-time), D O Flaherty for Molloy (43), S Kelly for Ă“ Conghaile (49), N Daly for Tierney - inj (64).
J McQuillan (Cavan)
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