Connacht FBD League Final: Galway edge out Mayo
Fionn McDonagh, Galway, and Fenton Kelly, Mayo, in Connacht FBD League Final action. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Connacht FBD League Final
Galway 2-12 Mayo 1-14
By Mark Walsh at Tuam Stadium
Galway won their 11th Connacht FBD League title with the last kick of the game after a breach.
Matches between Galway and Mayo often mean drama, no matter the time of year, and are often decided by a solitary score. The first instalment in the Galway-Mayo rivalry across seven days was won by injury time points from Galway subs Liam Ó Conghaile and a free from Robert Finnerty for the breach.
The Tribesmen had led from the 18th to the 55th minute when Oisin McDonagh palmed the ball to the net at the Town End goal of Tuam Stadium.
With five minutes remaining, a penalty slotted down the middle of the same goal from Adam Barrett drew Mayo on terms, and seconds later Stephen Coen made his way forward from full-back to give Mayo the lead and set up a grandstand finale.
Fenton Kelly impressed at wing-back for Mayo and he scored first for Andy Moran’s men. Darragh Joyce doubled the advantage, but two quickfire points from Cillian Ó Curraoin (free) and Shane McGrath had Galway level in the 12th minute.
Niall Hurley and Ciaran Mulhern traded frees, and Oisin McDonagh finished to the back of the net following an assist from his namesake and no relation, Fionn.
Mayo goalkeeper Jack Livingstone converted a ’45, but Galway’s second goal arrived in the 21st minute, Corofin’s Jack Cogger on hand to score a rebound after Livingstone had saved from Ó Curraoin.
Galway’s lead was out to 2-6 to 0-5 by the half-time whistle. Their captain Kieran Molloy hit a two-pointer and Fionn McDonagh rounded out the scoring for the half to cancel out a free from Cian McHale.
Paul Towey started the second half scoring before McHale shot a two-point free and another from play.
Oisin McDonagh was lively all afternoon in the Galway full-forward line. His 37th minute free put Galway four ahead. Fergal Boland slotted a neat point, and Oisin McDonagh scored another point up the other end for Galway.
McHale’s latest third quarter score left it 2-8 to 0-11 to Galway by the 41st minute. Finnerty and Mulhern pushed out Galway’s advantage. Back Mayo came with a two-pointer from Jack Carney.
Mayo had hit the post on three occasions in the first half, and when Boland’s effort struck a post in the 55th minute, Jack Glynn fouled John McMonagle inside the small parallelogram.
Barrett’s penalty raised the temperature for the Galway and Mayo fans in Tuam Stadium for the remaining minutes.
It wouldn’t be any other way for a Galway-Mayo contest. The sides will do battle again next Sunday in the opening round of the National League, this time in Salthill.
Scorers for Galway: Oisin McDonagh 1-2 (2f), Brian Cogger 1-0, Robert Finnerty (1f), Kieran Molloy (tp), Ciaran Mulhern (1f) 0-2 each, Fionn McDonagh, Shane McGrath, Liam Ó Conghaile, Cillian Ó Curraoin (1f) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Mayo: Cian McHale 0-5 (1 tp, 1f), Adam Barrett 1-0 (pen), Jack Carney 0-2 (tp), Fergal Boland, Stephen Coen, Niall Hurley (1f), Darragh Joyce, Fenton Kelly, Jack Livingstone (‘45), Paul Towey 0-1 each.
Galway: Conor Flaherty; Connor Carson, Séan Mulkerrin, Michael Moughan; Cian Hernon, Kieran Molloy, Brian Cogger; Ryan Roche, Matthias Barrett; Shane McGrath, Ciaran Mulhern, Jack O’Neill; Oisin McDonagh, Fionn McDonagh, Cillian Ó Curraoin.
Subs: Shay McGlinchey for Barrett 29, Robert Finnerty for Ó Curraoin 29, Jack Glynn for Mulkerrin 37, Charlie Power for Roche 43, Liam Ó Conghaile for McGrath 49, Daragh Burke for Cogger 49, Mikey Mulryan for Fionn McDonagh 56, Colm Costello for Oisin McDonagh 56.
Mayo: Jack Livingstone; Liam Golden, Stephen Coen, Sam Callinan; Fenton Kelly, John McMonagle, Cathal Keaveney; Darragh Joyce, Dylan Thornton; Diarmuid Duffy, Jack Carney, Nathan Moran; Cian McHale, Kuba Callaghan, Niall Hurley.
Subs: Paul Towey for Callaghan 29, Fergal Boland for Thornton 29, Eoin McGreal for Golden half-time, Tom Lydon for Hurley half-time, Frank Irwin for Duffy 41, Adam Barrett for McHale 44, Colm Lynch for Keaveney 49.
Referee: Dermot Lyons Junior (Roscommon).
