Allianz Football League Division Two

Galway 1-12 Down 0-9

By Orla Bannon at Páirc Esler

Galway did all the scoring damage in the first half and then held on to pick up another comfortable league win as they continue their push for instant promotion back to Division One. 

Paul Conroy’s 1-2 from play in the opening 15 minutes in Pairc Esler gave the visitors a nice platform and they were able to keep Down at arm’s length after that – although an inspired 10 minutes from Barry O’Hagan after the interval almost brought Down back into it. 

Galway will be happy with their early season work and big wins over Meath and Down, while the Mournemen have plenty to ponder after another low-scoring total with only 0-3 hit from play. 

Down may be behind the rest in terms of preparation given the late appointment of James McCartan, so the last thing they needed was to face two of Division Two’s promotion favourites in their opening two games. 

Although Galway chose to play with the aid of a strong wind in the first half, there’s no way the gale was accountable for the eight-point cushion they held at the break. 

Galway played with cohesion and purpose and the high press forced Down into handling errors, mistakes which were ruthlessly punished. 

Inevitably, Paul Conroy was a central character in it all, setting the tone with a well-taken goal after six minutes. 

He gathered Caolan Mooney’s spill inside his own half and after some genius from Shane Walsh, whose dummy and pass inside created the opportunity, Conroy charged into the square to finish the move with a low finish. 

Barry O’Hagan scored Down’s sole point from play in the first half three minutes after before Galway added the next four points in a row. 

Robert Finnerty’s point was good but it was nothing to the two class long-range points Conroy scored within a minute of each other, gauging the wind perfectly to land two difficult points from distance. 

Ex-Antrim player Owen Gallagher tagged on another and while last year’s Ulster U20-winning forward Andrew Gilmore converted a free for Down, Galway finished with a flourish with another three in-a-row. 

Damien Comer won and converted a mark with his first touch after replacing Finnerty after half an hour. 

With Galway leading 1-7 to 0-2 at half time, it looked ominous for Down but they made a great start to the second half thanks to an inspired Barry O’Hagan. 

He single-handedly dragged Down back into it scoring three of their unanswered four points in an eight-minute spell at the start of the second half and he also set up the other one for Cormac McCartan. 

He won three marks and three scores came off them and he also scored a superb point from play, roasting Galway captain Sean Kelly in the process. 

With Down trailing 0-6 to 1-7, the home crowd finally came to the party and got behind their team but Galway had enough resolve to take the sting out of them. 

Owen Gallagher scored Galway’s first point from play in the second half after 21 minutes. 

Although they struggled to find Comer in the square, opting to keep ball and work it through the hands against a stiff breeze, he cut through a few times and won a free which Walsh converted to ease their worries about a Down comeback. 

Scorers for Galway: Paul Conroy 1-2, Shane Walsh 0-5 (4f, 1m), Owen Gallagher 0-2, Robert Finnerty 0-1, Tomo Culhane, Damian Comer 0-1 (m) each.

Scorers for Down: Barry O’Hagan 0-5 (2m, 1f), Andrew Gilmore 0-3 (3f), Cormac McCartan 0-1.

Galway: Conor Flaherty; Kieran Molloy, Sean Kelly, John McGrath; Dylan McHugh, John Daly, Cillian McDaid; Paul Kelly, Paul Conroy; Matthew Tierney, Owen Gallagher, Finnian O Laoi; Shane Walsh, Robert Finnerty, Tomo Culhane 

Subs: Damien Comer for Finnerty (30), Patrick Kelly for O’Laoi (45), Tony Gill for Daly (52), Cathal Sweeney for Culhane (58), Dessie Connolly for Kelly (68).

Down: Gary McMahon; Peter Fegan, Finn McElroy, Brendan McArdle; Ruairi McCormack, Kevin McKernan; Anthony Doherty, Odhran Murdock; Caolan Mooney, Liam Kerr, Cormac McCartan; Barry O’Hagan, Darren O’Hagan, Andrew Gilmore 

Subs: Conor Poland for D O’Hagan (52), Pat Havern for McKernan (55), Jack McCartan for Mooney (58), Conor Francis for McCormack (66), Tom Close for McParland (68).

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).