'Breach' storm: McGeeney labels decisive decision 'absolutely shocking'

Kieran McGeeney Armagh Manager and Padraig Joyce Galway Manager after the game. Pic: James Lawlor/Inpho

AFL Division 1: Armagh 0-20 Galway 3-12

While Galway’s Pádraic Joyce praised the steeliness of his side and formidable impact from the bench, a visibly- shaken Kieran McGeeney fumed at the decision to award the free that led to Rob Finnerty’s fortunate and decisive goal minutes before the break.

Armagh had raced into an early lead before young Kieran Molloy rifled his effort past Blaine Hughes in the Orchard goal.

Scores from Oisín O’Neill, Cian McConville, Jarly Óg Burns, and Ross McQuillan put Armagh back in the driving seat. They were winning the midfield battle and building momentum when they were caught for a four-up breach.

However, McGeeney insisted that because Joe McElroy was walking to speak to him, he wasn’t interfering with play or in breach.

“Shocking. Absolutely shocking stuff fellas. If that’s the level that we are going to be adhered to,” McGeeney said.

“Joe [McElroy], you can see it plain as day. He stops, and he walks towards me because he’s hurt. For the fourth official to call that a breach... I don’t even know if he crossed the halfway line but he is within the 5m line.

“But when a fella is coming over to say he needs to come off. And there’s a 5m buffer zone. There is a rule there that states very clearly that you are not interfering with the play; it is a free-kick from the halfway line. So even if he is wrong, and takes it, absolutely shocking stuff.”

Finnerty’s two-pointer free ended up in the net and substitute Cillian McDaid tagged on a point to steer Galway ahead at the break.

“Massive turning point. I am not taking away [from the fact] it was a great game of football. As always between the two teams, real up and down, good goals. I thought some of our running game was exceptional too,” said McGeeney.

“But to be exposed to that kind of stuff is shocking. It really is terrible stuff. If you don’t interfere with the play. If you are not adding to or taking away from the play, it’s supposed to be.

“And the 5m buffer zone was put in for that rule. But he was standing beside me when he heard Joe McElroy say, ‘I need to go here. I need to go.’

“I don’t want to be taking away there, some brilliant stuff from both teams. But it’s absolutely shocking,” he said.

The game was played at lightning pace and momentum swung back and forth.

While the third quarter wasn’t quite as intense, the last quarter had all the excitement and drama you expect when Galway and Armagh clash.

Cian McConville grabbed Armagh’s first point from a free on 51 minutes and his cousin Oisín O’Neill tagged on another before Galway hit back, with substitute Shay McGlinchey and talisman Finnerty grabbing scores as the game entered the last 15, his fifth point putting Galway back in the driving seat.

It was frantic football and Shane Walsh made it a two-point game but Burns’s third of the night cut the deficit to a single point. Galway were caught with a breach on the hour, with Oisín O’Neill steering over a two-pointer, before Tiernan Kelly and Jason Duffy fired shots over the bar to swing the game Armagh’s way.

There was plenty of time for more twists and turns and Matthew Tierney’s clinical shot into the far corner of Hughes’s net put Galway back into the driving seat. Again Armagh hit back and Oisín O’Neill’s free levelled the scores with 70 seconds remaining.

However, in one final curveball, the winning score was the result of Armagh giving away a free at the death, tackling a solo and go, for Finnerty (1-06) to kick over from 13m after the hooter sounded to win two precious National League points with the last kick of the game.

“It was a great two points for us to get to be honest,” said Joyce. “We had to show the character to fight back from all the mistakes we made in the first half. We were giving the ball away cheaply at times, getting punished by good teams the far side.

“Super proud of the lads. Again, getting lads off the bench and making their debuts for us is great, because you can’t buy that type of experience for the likes of Shay McGlinchey, Shane McGrath, and Brian Cogger.

“Again, we got a bit opened in midfield there for a period of the second half. We were living off scraps up front.

“But in fairness to the lads, they worked a great goal there in the third goal. Probably lucky with the second one that dropped in. Goals probably win games.”

Scorers for Armagh: O O’Neill (0-6, 1 2pf, 1f), R McQullian, J Óg Burns (0-3 each); C McConville (0-2, 1f), O Conaty (0-2), F O’Brien, C Turbitt, T Kelly, J Duffy (0-1 each).

Scorers for Galway: R Finnerty (1-6, 1-3f), K Molloy, M Tierney (1-0 each), F O’Laoi, S McGlinchey, F McDonagh, C McDaid, S Walsh, S McGrath (0-1 each)

ARMAGH: B Hughes; J McElroy, G Murphy, P McGrane; R McQullian, T Kelly, J Óg Burns; C O’Neill, A Murnin, F O’Brien, C Turbitt, G McCabe, C McConville, O O’Neill, O Conaty.

Subs: T McCormick for McElroy (32), J Duffy for Turbitt (61), E Rafferty for O’Brien (65).

GALWAY: C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J McGlynn; F O’Laoi, D McHugh, K Molloy; S Kelly, M Barret; L Sike, C Mulhearn, D O’Flaherty; F McDonagh, R Finnerty, O McDonagh.

Subs: C McDaid for O’Flaherty (28), M Tierney for Molloy (27), S McGlinchey for Barrett (ht), S Walsh for Mulhearn (46), B Cogger for for Ó Laoi (57), S McGrath for McDonagh (60).

Referee: Barry Cassidy (Derry).