Galway end Sligo's three-in-a-row hopes

The young Tribesmen powered into the final against Roscommon after producing a barnstorming first half display that left Sligo with too much ground to make up.

END GAME: Wind-assisted Galway played some scintillating football in the early stages and, despite only scoring once in the second quarter, they were 0-13 to 1-2 ahead by the interval. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Connacht U20 Football Championship semi-final: Galway 0-23 Sligo 1-12  

Sligo’s hopes of winning a third successive Connacht Under-20 football championship title were dashed by Galway in Wednesday evening’s semi-final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar.

The young Tribesmen — who are managed by Galway All-Ireland winners Derek Savage and Ja Fallon — powered into the final against Roscommon after producing a barnstorming first half display that left Sligo with too much ground to make up.

Wind-assisted Galway played some scintillating football in the early stages and, despite only scoring once in the second quarter, they were 0-13 to 1-2 ahead by the interval.

By that stage eight different Galway players were on the scoresheet and Sligo’s cause would have been lost completely were it not for a goal on the stroke of half-time from Conor Flynn.

The Tribesmen had hit the ground running early on and they were 0-10 to 0-1 in front by the end of the first quarter as they kicked points from all angles.

Shay McGlinchey, Colm Costello, Jack Mullen and Matthew Thompson all landed two points apiece while Ross Coen and Ciaran Murphy also hit the target.

Sligo's only score in response came from Luke Marren in the second minute.

The leaders did ease off the throttle in the second quarter, only adding a further point from Jack Mullen, and Sligo finished the half on a high note when Conor Flynn crashed in a goal after excellent approach work from Robert O’Kelly-Lynch.

Galway continued to keep Sligo at arm’s length throughout the second half.

Sligo manager Paul Henry ran his bench in an effort to close the gap with the impressive Eli Rooney making quite an impression, shooting three points from play in the closing stages, but Galway continued to pad out their lead with neat scores from Jack Lonergan, substitute Fionn MacDonnacha, goaleeper Eamon McGrath and Cian Murphy.

Galway: E McGrath (0-2,‘45s); S Canavan, B Noone, D Costello; R Coen (0-1), J Folen, M Mannion (0-2); S McGlinchey (0-2), C Heneghan; M Thompson (0-4, 1f), J Lonergan (0-1), C Costello (0-3, 1f, 1 mark); J Mullen (0-3), C Murphy (0-3), C Mulhern (0-1).

Subs: D Kilcommins for Heneghan (45); L O’Connor for Canavan (48); F MacDonnacha (0-1) for Mullen; P Godwin for Mannion (54); C Greaney for Coen (60).

Sligo: E Carden; R O’Hehir, C Johnston, T Ross; R O’Callaghan, D McLoughlin, R Sloyan (0-1); C Sheridan (0-1), R Doherty; C Walsh, R Niland, J Donlon; R O’Kelly-Lynch (0-1), L Marren (0-6, 3fs), C Flynn (1-0).

Subs: D Walsh for O’Callaghan (HT); E Rooney (0-3) for Donlon (40); M McDaniel for Flynn (42); E Barrett for Johnston (48); O Harte for Ross (50).

Referee: M McGirl (Leitrim)