All-Ireland SFC: Galway win thriller

All-Ireland SFC Preliminary Quarter-Final

Galway 2-26 (2-5-16) Down 3-21 (3-4-13)

By Billy Coss at Páirc Esler

They dodged elimination on more than occasion during the 'Group of Death', but Galway's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship challenge remains on track after surviving a stirring second half fightback from Down in the Marshes.

The Tribesmen's in-form inside duo of Shane Walsh and Rob Finnerty contributed 1-13 between them, but it was Matthew Thompson, in his rookie season, who was their orchestrator-in-chief and contributed five points into the bargain.

A devastating eight-minute spell at the end of the first half pushed a 1-7 to 1-6 Galway lead out to a significant 1-16 to 1-6 advantage by the hooter.

Prior to that, Down traded blow for blow with Odhran Murdock and Danny Magill both picking off two points apiece. Murdock also latched on to a booming Ronan Burns kickout to play in John McGeough for their opening goal on 14 minutes.

Burns had earlier saved one-on-ones from Rob Finnerty and Cian Hernon, but stood no chance when Shane Walsh took a Thompson pass and buried past the Down 'keeper on 22 minutes. Thompson, Finnerty and Walsh (two, one free) were all on target from outside the 40-metre arc, while Cillian McDaid scored a brace as the visitors constructed a 10-point interval advantage.

Down's comeback ignited immediately after the throw-in with Daniel Guinness and Miceal Rooney two-pointers inside 90 seconds delighting the home support in the attendance of more than 14,000. And when Pat Havern converted the first of his two frees, the difference was back to just 1-16 to 1-11. It might have been even better for Down, but for a fine Conor Flaherty save from Adam Crimmins.

Back came Galway as a magnificent second half unfolded. Thompson, Finnerty and Matthew Tierney steadied the ship before Flaherty was called upon once more to save from James Guinness. 1-20 to 1-13 was how it stood on 49 minutes and with Galway's kickout under major pressure, another Down surge materialised.

A Daniel Guinness two-pointer plus ones from Adam Crimmins, Ceilum Doherty and sub Caolan Mooney (two) brought it back to two before Galway's substitutes made an impact. Peter Cooke and Daniel O'Flaherty were on target while Shane Walsh converted a crucial two-point free just before his injury-enforced withdrawal.

1-24 to 1-19 up, Galway would have been out of reach had Burns not denied Cooke with his third point-blank save of the day. That was the tigger for a frantic endgame as Odhran Murdock, crowning a brilliant performance, netted Down's second goal to cut the deficit to two on 65 minutes.

Galway sub Tomo Culhane killed the comeback when rifling past Burns two minutes later and though Ryan Magill netted the game's fifth goal at the other end, a relieving Céin D'Arcy point confirmed Galway's victory. Ryan McEvoy floated over the game's ninth two-pointer after the hooter sounded as Galway survived a thrilling finale to yet another memorable match. They move on to face Meath, Monaghan or Tyrone in the last eight.

Scorers for Galway: Shane Walsh 1-7 (1tp, 2tpf), Rob Finnerty 0-6 (1tp, 1f), Matthew Thompson 0-5 (1tp), Tomo Culhane 1-0, Cillian McDaid, Matthew Tierney and Daniel O'Flaherty 0-2 each; Céin D'Arcy and Peter Cooke 0-1 each.

Scorers for Down: Odhran Murdock 1-2, John McGeough 1-1, Daniel Guinness 0-4 (2tp); Ryan Magill 1-0; Danny Magill Miceal Rooney (tp), Ryan McEvoy (tp), Caolan Mooney and Pat Havern (2f) 0-2 each; Adam Crimmins (f), Ceilum Doherty, Eugene Brannigan and James Guinness 0-1 each.

Galway: Conor Flaherty; Johnny McGrath, Seán Fitzgerald, Liam Silke; Dylan McHugh, Seán Kelly (captain), Cian Hernon; Paul Conroy, John Maher; Céin D'Arcy, Matthew Thompson, Cillian McDaid; Rob Finnerty, Shane Walsh, Matthew Tierney.

Subs: Peter Cooke for Conroy (47), Daniel O'Flaherty for Hernon (56), Johnny Heaney for McDaid temporary (61-69), Tomo Culhane for Walsh (62), John Daly for Maher (67).

Down: Ronan Burns; Patrick McCarthy, Peter Fegen, Ceilum Doherty; Ryan Magill, Pierce Laverty (captain), Miceal Rooney; Daniel Guinness, Ryan McEvoy; Danny Magill, Odhran Murdock, Adam Crimmins; James Guiness, Pat Havern, John McGeough.

Subs: Eugene Brannigan for McCarthy (21-26 temporary & HT), Caolan Mooney for McGeough (53), Oisín Savage for Doherty (58), Conor McCrickard for Crimmins (62), Finn Murdock for Rooney (66).

Referee: Derek O'Mahoney (Tipperary).