Galway punish Mayo at the death after 'chaotic' final moments

Mayo fought back but failed to keep three players up front in the dying seconds

Sun, 18 Jan, 2026 - 15:32

John Fallon

Galway 2-12 Mayo 1-14

Mayo selector Colm Boyle said two technical breaches with the clock in the red was a disappointing way to lose a game as Galway punished them to snatch the FBD League title at Tuam Stadium.

Stephen Coen seemed set to win the title for Mayo when he edged them in front in the dying moments after they came from five points adrift in the final quarter, but their failure to keep three players up front resulted in a turnover which led to the equaliser and then another breach presented Rob Finnerty with the opportunity to win it in the fifth minute of added time.

“It’s disappointing to lose it in that aspect,” said Boyle. “That’s a concentration thing as much as anything else. It can happen, it’s chaotic but you can’t let it happen against you and that’s the key thing. You hear the word ‘learnings’ all the time and that’s one of the things you can’t let happen to you and lose a game over that.

“But the FBD has been brilliant for us. We have used over 40 players and to see boys playing in the likes of here in Tuam in front of a very good crowd, that’s golden for us to see what they can play like,” added the former All Star.

Galway led by 2-6 to 0-5 at the end of an opening half where they had the slight breeze behind them in front of a crowd of around 3,000.

Galway would have been further ahead had Mayo goalkeeper Jack Lkivingstone not produced a few good saves in a game where both sides fielded experimental line-ups ahead of their clash next Sunday in Pearse Stadium in the opening round of the national league.

Points from wing-back Fenton Kelly and Darragh Joyce eased Mayo into an early lead but once Cillian O Curraoin got Galway off the mark after ten minutes, they pushed on to open up a 2-5 to 0-4 lead after 25 minutes.

Oisin McDonagh got the opening goal after 18 minutes when he fisted home a Fionn McDonagh pass after a good delivery out the field from Jack O’Neill.

They hit the net again three minutes later when wing-back Brian Cogger, who had been involved in the build-up, finished a rebound after Livingstone had denied O’Currain and that helped them lead by seven at the break.

A two-pointer free from Cian McHale was part of a good start to the second half by Mayo which saw them cut the gap to a goal, with the sides then twice exchanged points for Galway to lead by 2-8 to 0-11 after 41 minutes.

But they took a five-point lead into the final quarter when Finnerty and Ciaran Mulhearn found the range for the Tribesmen.

A good two-pointer from the right by Jack Carney ignited a Mayo revival nine minutes from time as they again got the gap back to a goal.

They levelled four minutes from time when Adam Barrett slotted home a penalty after John McMonagle was fouled by Jack Glynn after a point effort from Fergal Boland came back off an upright.

And then they hit the front when Stephen Coen went forward to shoot a good point from the left to lead by 1-14 to 2-10 with three minutes left.

But then two breaches by Mayo were punished by Galway with Liam O Conghaile equalising before Finnerty tapped over a close range free in the fifth minute of added time to win the title for the 11th time.

“We are delighted with the win,” said Galway selector John Concannon. “Every time we play our neighbours Mayo we always want to win it. Galway and Mayo is always a big battle, no matter what we are playing each other in.

We did very well in the first half, but we have got an awful lot out of this campaign. The number of players you could see on both sides was huge. We are delighted to have found new players, delighted to beat Mayo and win the FBD and now we turn our attention to the start of the league next week when we play Mayo again.”

Scorers for Galway: Oisin McDonagh 1-2 (0-2f), Brian Cogger 1-0, Ciaran Mulhearn 0-2 (1f), Rob Finnerty 0-2 (1f), Kieran Molloy 0-2 (1 2p), Shane McGrath 0-1, Fionn McDonagh 0-1, Liam O Conghaile 0-1, Cillian O Curraoin 0-1.

Mayo: Cian McHale 0-5 (1 2pf), Adam Barrett 1-0, Jack Carney 0-2 (1 2p), Niall Hurley 0-1 (f), Darragh Joyce 0-1, Jack Livingstone 0-1 (45), Fenton Kelly 0-1, Stephen Coen 0-1, Paul Towey 0-1, Fergal Boland 0-1.

Galway: C Flaherty; C Carson, S Ó Maoilchiaráin, M Moughan; C Hernon, K Molloy, B Cogger; R Roche, M Barrett; S McGrath, C Mulhern, J O’Neill; F McDonagh, O McDonagh, C Ó Curráoin. Subs: S McGlinchey for Barrett (29), R Finnerty for O Curraoin (29), J Glynn for Ó Maoilchiaráin (38), C Power for Roche (43), D Burke for Cogger (51), L Ó Conghaile for McGrath (51), M Mulryan for F McDonagh (56), C Costello for O McDonagh (56).

Mayo: J Livingstone; L Golden, S Coen, S Callinan; F Kelly, J MacMonagle, C Keaveney; D Joyce, D Thornton; D Duffy, J Carney, N Moran; C McHale, K Callaghan, N Hurley. Subs: F Boland for Thornton (29), P Towey for Callaghan (29), E McGreal for Golden (half-time), T Lydon for Hurley (half-time), J Carr for Duffy (41), A Barrett for McHale (43), C Lynch for Keaveney (49).

Referee: D Lyons (Roscommon).