Galway’s key men and goalkeepers finding form while Monaghan sup soup with a fork
Karl Gallagher of Monaghan after his side's defeat. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
When the fault lines are so widespread, where do you even start? This was a comfortable outing for Galway ahead of a seismic clash with Dublin next weekend. Monaghan had a chance to make the most of home comforts and completely wasted it.
Inniskeen is an exposed spot at the best of times and on a day like Sunday, the conditions were vicious. That should have been an advantage for Monaghan, who have trained here in recent weeks.
They even had the benefit of a hurricane-strength wind behind them for the first half. Their net return: four points, two from play.
It was a horror show. Jack McCarron kicked one two-point free and missed four more shots.
He was one of three players hooked off at the break. Galway led 1-5 to 0-4 after a superb Oisín Mac Donnacha goal. The entire move was full of pace and purpose.
John Maher tore down the middle with Dylan McHugh flying off his shoulder. His form is a huge plus for the Connacht champions. McHugh kicked a score and was a constant force from the half-back line.
2025 was a strange year. The Corofin man arrived at an All-Ireland final as the favourite for Footballer of the Year.
He was visibly distraught at a late miss in that narrow defeat. Despite the arrival of the new rules, McHugh only took six shots in the championship. The fact that he is back firing forward is an enormous boost for Pádraic Joyce.
Monaghan, to their credit, found a small spark after the turnaround. Dessie Ward dribbled towards goal and blasted high after Cian Hernon was turned over in his own full-back line. Rory Beggan kicked a terrific two-pointer from distance into the wind to cut the gap to three.
Then Galway blitzed them again. Sean Kelly could have had a goal only for Beggan’s palm to divert the ball over. Robert Finnerty kicked two two-pointers, one from a free and one from play.
The 36-year-old Paul Conroy also landed two from outside the arc in his latest vintage showing. Class doesn’t fade.
During all of that, Monaghan’s sideline was enraged by a missed breach as Galway raised an orange flag. Referee Barry Tiernan penalised over-carrying six times in the contest in a consistent stance. But there were breaches missed throughout that had both sidelines fuming.
On top of that, there was no working hooter in the venue so timekeeping reverted to pre-FRC means.
“Clearly it was missed,” said Gabriel Bannigan post-match. “Two linesmen missed it. The referee, in fairness, he can’t have eyes in the back of his head. He couldn’t see that. The two linesmen missed it. The fourth official missed it. What can you do? They all miss it. Galway get a two-pointer. I am not going to blame the officials. They clearly didn’t see it. If they saw it, I’m sure it would have been given.
“They spotted the two Monaghan ones. That is the frustrating thing.” Such are the vibes when it feels like the world is against you.
“If it was raining soup at the moment, we would be standing out there with forks. We just can’t catch a break. Our luck has to change over the next few weeks. Look, we have to look at ourselves and what was wrong with our performance today. Particularly the first half.”
Mícheál McCarville blasted a goal as the clock approached the red to make the scoreline somewhat more respectable.
The result still leaves Galway in a vulnerable spot. A loss to Dublin combined with an Armagh win over Kerry would leave relegation coming down to score difference.
At the same time, key players continue to shine. They have dealt with the Shane Walsh and Damien Comer absence admirably.
Despite two tough trips to Ulster and to the All-Ireland champions, they are undefeated on the road in the league. This was the third goalkeeper they have used in the competition and he was outstanding.
“Conor Flaherty was very good in goals for us, kickouts against the breeze, did really well and the lads plucked some great ball out of the sky. It was a great platform for us in the first half,” said Joyce.
“Happy enough to come away with two points and it is a do-or-die game next Sunday.”
R. Finnerty 0-8 (1tpf, 1tp, 2f); P. Conroy 0-4 (2 tp); Mac Donnacha 1-0; M. Tierney 0-3; C. Costello, D. McHugh, S. Kelly, J. Maher, C. D’Arcy 0-1 each.
D. Ward, M. McCarville 1-0 each; M. Bannigan 0-3; J. McCarron 0-2 (1tpf); S. O’Hanlon 0-2, R. Beggan 0-2 (1 tpf).
C. Flaherty; J. McGrath, C. Hernon, J. Glynn; L. Silke, D. McHugh, S. Kelly; J. Maher, M. Tierney, S. McGrath, C. Mulhern, C. D’Arcy; R. Finnerty, O. Mac Donnacha, L. Ó Conghaile.
P. Conroy for Mulhern (43); C. Costello for Mac Donnacha (45); B. Cogger for Ó Conghaile (58); S. Mulkerrin for Silke (62); C. Carson for McGrath (67).
R. Beggan; D. McElearney, R. O’Toole, R. Wylie; C. Dowd, D. Ward, L. Kelly; M. McCarville, K. Gallagher; S. O’Hanlon, M. Bannigan, A. Carey; J. McCarron, A. Woods, D. Garland.
O. McGorman for McCarron, F. Carolan for Carey, R. Duffy for Kelly (half-time); R. Hanratty for Dowd (55); E. Walsh for Woods (65).
B. Tiernan (Dublin).
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