All-Ireland SFC R1: Finnerty inspires Galway
Rob Finnerty scored 1-9 from play for Galway against Kildare. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
All-Ireland SFC Round One
Galway 3-21 Kildare 0-17
By Cian O’Connell at Pearse Stadium
A lifetime spent watching, playing, and managing Galway teams will mean valuable lessons have been learned by Padraic Joyce. So, there will be nobody getting carried away, but this was a satisfactory Saturday evening in Salthill.
Undoubtedly, the Connacht SFC decider loss to Roscommon hurt deeply, but Galway were primed for this All-Ireland Round One tussle.
Prompted by the splendid Rob Finnerty, who concluded the contest with a 1-9 haul from play, Galway were always in the ascendancy. Paul Conroy dictated the tone and tempo of the match at centrefield. Cian Hernon was excellent in defence. Cillian McDaid remained relevant throughout. Damien Comer enjoyed another productive cameo as Galway prevailed.
For Kildare it was a strange encounter. In the first half the Lilywhites were intent on landing two pointers. From Kildare’s first 10 scoring attempts, seven were two-point shots.
Brian Flanagan’s outfit did mine five two pointers before the break, but they still trailed 2-8 to 0-12. That was because Galway pounced for a couple of goals, with the first arriving in the fifth minute.
Conroy was involved with Matthew Tierney palming home a Galway major following two early Finnerty points. Kildare had the margin trimmed to 1-3 to 0-5 when Alex Beirne drilled a sweet effort from distance, but Galway responded.
Finnerty clipped a point before Conroy’s craft released Dylan McHugh, who put Céin D’Arcy away to score Galway’s second goal, 2-4 to 0-5.
Beirne and Darragh Kirwan fired over further two pointers for Kildare as the interval approached, but Galway still departed ahead at the turnaround.
Matthew Tierney netted a first half goal for Galway. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
After the restart Galway dominated. Finnerty and Shane Walsh two pointers had them 2-12 to 0-13 prior to a 50th minute Kirwan score which left four between the teams.
Then Galway reeled off 1-6 without reply. Finnerty supplied the goal in the 54th minute following smart approach work by Walsh and Conroy.
Comer’s subsequent point drew an approving roar from the locals, while Finnerty continued to torment the Lilywhites.
Lively Kildare substitute Jack Robinson terminated a 14 minute search for a Kildare score, but Galway closed out the deal with the minimum of fuss.
Scorers for Galway: Rob Finnerty 1-9, Shane Walsh 0-6 (1 2pt, 1 2ptf, 1f), Céin D’Arcy and Matthew Tierney 1-0 each, Cillian McDaid 0-2, John Maher, Paul Conroy, Damien Comer, and Shane McGrath 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kildare: Alex Beirne 0-5 (2 2pt, 1f), Darragh Kirwan (1 2pt) and Brian McLoughlin (1 2pt) 0-3 each, Jack Robinson 0-2, Colm Dalton, Darragh Swords, Kevin Feely, and Ben Loakman 0-1 each.
Galway: Connor Gleeson; Jack Glynn, Cian Hernon, Liam Silke; Dylan McHugh, John Daly, Seán Kelly; Paul Conroy, John Maher; Céin D’Arcy, Ciarán Mulhearn, Cillian McDaid; Rob Finnerty, Matthew Tierney, Shane Walsh.
Subs: Damien Comer for Mulhearn (45), Seán Ó Maoilchiaráin for Hernon (55), Shane McGrath for Tierney (59), Shay McGlinchey for Conroy (62), Brian Cogger for McDaid (64).
Kildare: Eoin Sheehan; Ryan Burke, Mark Dempsey, Brian Byrne; James McGrath, Eoin Lawlor, Harry O’Neill; Kevin Feely, Brendan Gibbons; Ben Loakman, Colm Dalton, Brian McLoughlin; Alex Beirne, Darragh Kirwan, Eoin Cully.
Subs: James Harris for Lawlor (21), Darragh Swords for Cully (27), Jack Robinson for Loakman (51), Tommy Gill for McGrath (55), Sam Doran for O’Neill (66).
Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).
