Maurice Brosnan: Full theatre of football on display in Salthill relegation showdown

Galway were reliant on Rob Finnerty throughout their victory over Dublin. He scored 0-8. Pic:  ©INPHO/James Crombie

National Football League Division 1: Galway 0-20 (0-3-14) Dublin 1-15 (1-2-11) 

No matter what your expectations might be from this magnificent and maddening game, they were met in Salthill. Rows, red cards, a penalty, green, white and orange flags and a grandstand finish. This had it all.

Dublin’s relegation to Division 2 was confirmed in front of a captivated crowd of 9,274 as Galway turned a 0-12 to 0-7 half-time deficit into a two-point victory. The moment that turned the fixture was not so much the half-time score as what followed.

Robert Finnerty’s penalty was saved by Hugh O’Sullivan to the delight of his nearby team-mates. There was a routine flare-up involving players before the whole thing escalated with members of management joining the fray. The long and short of it: Ger Brennan came roaring in and knocked Galway S&C coach Cian Breatnach McGinn to the ground.

The children continued to clash while nearby, the adults prepared for their half-time mini-games. No, wait, that is not right, is it? Brennan and McGinn shook hands when they re-emerged but Fergal Kelly still flashed two red cards while also showing black to Dylan McHugh and Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne.

Right until that point, Dublin would have been content. Their start was electric. Sean Bugler kicked five points, including a two-pointer seconds after the throw-in, in a ding-dong match-up against Liam Silke. Killian McGinnis was terrific inside and finished with 1-3. Their opponents were suffering badly with Sean Kelly and Matthew Tierney both limping off. Kieran Molloy was also replaced early after an error-strewn opening.

What proceeded was a grand unravelling. A team who kicked one wide in the first half kicked eight in the second. Their discipline slipped as the inaccuracy mounted, Ó Cofaigh Byrne eventually being sent off for a high tackle on Liam Silke.

Con O’Callaghan came in for his first appearance since he was withdrawn with a hamstring issue against Kerry a month ago. He scored with his first touch and created a goal for McGinnis. It all stemmed from a ferocious press and high turnover on Johnny McGrath. But with 14 men they could not sustain the challenge. They limped out of the league.

Pádraic Joyce’s outfit were reliant on their 2024 All-Star Robert Finnerty throughout. He finished as man of the match having given Eoin Murchan a torrid time. The addition of a sweet right foot to go with the deadly left makes him a defender’s nightmare. It was his fifth point that ignited a Galway run of seven consecutive scores.

Starting full-back Cian Hernon was outstanding during that spell. He moved out the field after Dublin’s red card and surged forward for two points from the right wing.

Captain John Maher was immense too. He was fouled for a sorely needed free early on with Galway four down. It was his kickout win that led to a typical Paul Conroy two-pointer ten minutes into the second half and he created a score for Cein D’Arcy immediately after.

In the end, Dublin were forced to go searching for a two-pointer to level it. They held possession for a lengthy spell before O’Callaghan had a go with a snatched effort. It would not have been enough anyway, given Armagh’s draw with Kerry.

This round of the league was glorious carnage, frantic and utterly compelling. It is understandable why players in the heat of the contest, and management nearby, couldn’t provide live updates of proceedings in the Athletic Grounds.

Could they have made it easier on themselves though? Dublin emerged first at half-time. Had they been able to manufacture a delay, proceedings up the country could have been concluded and they may have had a clearer picture.

All of that will form part of the review and evolution as championship preparation continues. In flashes, both teams have looked good during this league. There are plenty of areas for improvement too. The level of innovation and evolution over the past 12 months has been remarkable and that will only accelerate from here.

Who knows where Dublin are at, but the game itself is in a good place.

Scorers for Galway: R. Finnerty 0-8 (1 tp, 2f); O. Mac Donnacha 0-4 (1 tpf, 2f); P. Conroy 0-2 (tp); C. Hernon 0-2; C. D’Arcy, D. O’Flaherty, Ó Maoilchiaráin, L. Ó Conghaile 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dublin: K. McGinnis 1-3; S. Bugler 0-5 (1 tp); H. O’Sullivan 0-2 (1tpf); R. McGarry 0-2; C. Kilkenny, N. O’Callaghan, C. O’Callaghan 0-1 each.

GALWAY: C. Flaherty; J. McGrath, C. Hernon, J. Glynn; L. Silke, D. McHugh, S. Kelly; J. Maher, M. Tierney; S. McGrath, K. Molloy, C. D’Arcy; R. Finnerty, O. Mac Donnacha, R. Roche.

Subs: S. Ó Maoilchiaráin for Kelly (19 – Inj); P. Conroy for Tierney (Inj – 29); C. Mulhern for K. Molloy (32); ) L. Ó Conghaile for Roche (45); D. O’Flaherty for McGrath (52).

Black card: D. McHugh (35-45) 

DUBLIN: H. O’Sullivan; E. Murchan, N. Doran, D. Byrne; E. Kennedy, B. Howard, A. Gavin; P. Ó Cofaigh Byrne, C. McMorrow; R. McGarry, S. Bugler, N. Sculy; P. Small, K. McGinnis, C. Kilkenny.

Subs: N. O’Callaghan for Small (Inj - 11); S. MacMahon for Gavin (42); C. O’Callaghan for N. O’Callaghan (45); L. Smith for Byrne (58); J. Lundy for McGarry (62); C. O’Connor for Kennedy (65).

Black card: P. Ó Cofaigh Byrne (35-45) 

Red card: Ó Cofaigh Byrne (53).

Referee: F. Kelly (Longford).