Late Connor Gleeson point wins Connacht final for Galway
Galway's Connor Gleeson kicks a point. Picture: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
THE latest renewal of an age-old rivalry ended in a welter of excitement in Salthill when a long-range free from goalkeeper Connor Gleeson in the fifth minute of added time saw Galway win the Connacht title for the third year in a row.
Mayo had carried a two-point lead into stoppage-time at the end of a second half that had ebbed and flowed, but three converted frees courtesy of Rob Finnerty, Shane Walsh and Gleeson saw Padraic Joyce’s charges snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
The Tribesmen had only led for a total of three minutes all day previous to Gleeson's winner, but Mayo were unable to hold their rivals at bay in a frantic finish.
Kevin McStay’s team had led at half-time by two points (0-8 to 0-6) despite playing into the infamous Salthill breeze.
Galway had missed two goal chances, made two substitutions (withdrawing Kieran Molloy and Cathal Sweeney and bringing in John Maher and Shane Walsh) and were far from their free-flowing best.
Full-time: Galway 0-16 Mayo 0-15
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Goalkeeper Connor Gleeson wins a third Connacht SFC title in a row for Galway with a 76th-minute free
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Damien Comer had also drilled a goal effort just wide after six minutes and saw a shot brilliantly saved by Colm Reape eight minutes later.
Mayo were very combative around the middle in the opening half and with Donnacha McHugh doing a vice-like marking job on Galway captain Sean Kelly, the challengers were getting a lot of things right.
Matthew Ruane got them off the mark in the fourth minute and they would add further scores from Ryan O'Donoghue (3), Fergal Boland, the lively Tommy Conroy and McHugh.
Aidan O'Shea was winning more than his share of the ball but, for all their industry Mayo never threatened Gleeson's goal.
Galway started the second half in whirlwind fashion, with the outstanding Damien Comer, Johnny Heaney and Robert Finnerty kicking points to edge them ahead.
But it could have been even better had Maher’s shot not been taken off the line by Rory Brickenden and scrambled to safety by Colm Reape.
Wind-assisted Mayo then took charge.
They kicked the next four points and O'Donoghue almost chipped the retreating Gleeson for a goal after 49 minutes.
Mayo were three clear, 0-11 to 0-8 after 55 minutes, with Tommy Conroy winning a lot of ball on the half-forward line and threatening to create havoc.
But Galway stayed in the game as Finnerty landed a free, Gleeson added another from long-distance, Finnerty clipped over from play and Walsh ran in from the left to clip a trademark score.
That left Galway one up, 0-13 to 0-12, with five minutes left, but Mayo hit back immediately.
O'Donoghue converted a free to level the scores before Ruane raced forward to put the visitors in front and Conroy doubled the advantage as injury-time arrived.
Gleeson showed nerves of steel to win the title with a 48m free into the wind and Mayo couldn’t find an equaliser before the final whistle blew.
R Finnerty (0-8, 5f), S Walsh (0-3, 1f), D Comer 0-2, C Gleeson 0-2f, J Heaney 0-1.
R O'Donoghue 0-6, (4f, 1m), M Ruane 0-3, T Conroy 0-2, D McHugh 0-1, J Flynn 0-1, F Boland 0-1, C O'Connor 0-1.
C Gleeson; J Glynn, S Fitzgerald, J McGrath; J Daly, L Silke, S Kelly; C Darcy, P Conroy; J Heaney, K Molloy, D McHugh; R Finnerty, D Comer, C Sweeney.
Subs; J Maher for Molloy (21); S Walsh for Sweeney (33); M Tierney for Heaney (53); S Mulkerrin for Fitzgerald (65).
C Reape; S Callinan, D McBrien, R Brickenden; E McLaughlin, J Coyne, S Coen; J Carney, M Ruane; D McHugh, F Boland (0-0), J Flynn; R O'Donoghue, A O'Shea, T Conroy.
Subs; D O'Connor for Boland (45); C O'Connor for O'Shea (54); E Hession for Flynn (58); C Loftus for Coyne (55); B Tuohy (for Carney (69).
D Gough (Meath)
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