Joyce: A ridiculous decision if you ask me. But I wasn't as close to the play as David Gough was’

RIDICULOUS DECISION: Galway manager Pádraic Joyce was left frustrated by some near mises and key calls as his side went down by a point in their opening Sam Maguires' series match against Dublin. Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor

Galway manager Pádraic Joyce was left frustrated by some near mises and key calls as his side went down by a point in their opening Sam Maguires' series match against Dublin.

The home side squandered two goal chances in the first half, although an excellent Stephen Cluxton save was responsible for one, and captain Sean Kelly was penalised for barging while racing in on goal in the second.

“It's tight,” said Joyce post-match. “Look at Sean Kelly he got pulled there in the second half.

“It's a great set move we have - across to Rob and onto Sean and he got pulled for barging. It's a ridiculous decision if you ask me. But look, I wasn't as close to the play as David Gough was.

“Again, Dylan McHugh coming around the back there seemed to be pulled down around his neck. So, just didn't get the breaks today and we have to suck it up and move on.” He continued: “It was a disappointing one to be honest, hard one to take in the end there. Fair play to Dublin, they came down with a plan for the game. They beat us by a point, yeah.

“It's a tough one to take, yeah. Especially, we got ourselves into a position to win the game. But I think we just dealt with the high pressure situations in Castlebar but we didn't really do that tonight.

“We gave the ball away three times in our last seven attacks which wasn't like us in fairness. But look, I have to commend the lads for their heart and effort in the second half there.” 

Joyce knew the talk of Dublin’s downfall was inaccurate after their recent loss against Meath.

“People talk about Dublin being beat and out of it, they've seven or eight of the best footballers in the country you've ever seen. So we knew that, okay. People are doing podcasts and all sorts of stuff.

"Unfortunately, some mud on the walls will stick sometimes. But we knew internally ourselves it was going to be a huge battle, we said it to the lads before the game.” 

Meanwhile, Dessie Farrell was delighted with the reaction from his side after their shock Leinster championship defeat. None of the recent outside noise was an issue.

“To be honest, we don't listen to that,” said Farrell. “We're sorta careful on that, because unless you're in and no-one really knows, and that's the nature of elite-level sport.

“We were very disappointed with our performance the last day. There's no getting away from it. But, while we hold ourselves accountable and to higher standards, I think at some point in time that was going to happen.

“A Dublin team of old could be five percent off and still win a game like that by five or 10 points or whatever, but that day is gone now.

“Every day we put on the boots and put on the jersey, you have to be on point. We weren't that day and deservedly lost the game.

“We were expecting a big response in the coming weeks, because we know it's not us, and there's much more in us.” 

Dublin welcome All-Ireland champions Armagh to Croke Park next.

“We may not have the same strength and depth as in previous seasons, but we shouldn't be questioned on attitude and effort.

“That's probably what stung the most when we reflected back on the game and did our own analysis of it. That was definitely something to address, and we got a good response from that today.”