All-Ireland SFC Quarter-Final

Galway 0-17 Dublin 0-16

By Cian O’Connell at Croke Park

This was one of Galway’s sweetest ever Championship wins.

Dublin, who had delivered so many scary tutorials to Galway throughout the decades, were beaten by a stirring maroon and white performance.

Trailing 0-11 to 0-7 at the interval, Galway summoned a response brimful of grit and guile to secure a place in the last four.

Injuries have plagued Galway throughout 2024, with captain Seán Kelly and the splendid Shane Walsh forced off at GAA headquarters, but Pádraic Joyce’s team found a way.

Substitutes contributed handsomely and at the end Joyce hugged Tomo Culhane, who had landed a critical score in the dying embers to nudge Galway two clear. Johnny Heaney and Céin D’Arcy were others, who mined points for Galway during a chaotic second half.

Inevitably there was a late Dublin rally with Con O’Callaghan narrowing the gap to the minimum, but Galway survived. Not long after the Saw Doctors’ tunes were blaring and the All-Ireland race was blown wide open.

Early on Dublin were in the groove, accumulating a 0-8 to 0-3 advantage by the 21^st minute, but Galway battled.

The hard running John Maher and Walsh, who clipped some delightful efforts, replied trimming the deficit.

O’Callaghan was effective inside for Dublin, kicking a point from a mark, while Seán Bugler and Cormac Costello added further scores as Dessie Farrell’s charges departed at the break armed with a four point cushion.

Inevitably there was a late Dublin rally with Con O’Callaghan narrowing the gap to the minimum, but Galway survived. Not long after the Saw Doctors’ tunes were blaring and the All-Ireland race was blown wide open.

Early on Dublin were in the groove, accumulating a 0-8 to 0-3 advantage by the 21^st minute, but Galway battled.

The hard running John Maher and Walsh, who clipped some delightful efforts, replied trimming the deficit.

O’Callaghan was effective inside for Dublin, kicking a point from a mark, while Seán Bugler and Cormac Costello added further scores as Dessie Farrell’s charges departed at the break armed with a four point cushion.

After the restart Galway enjoyed a productive spell. Within seconds Cillian McDaid rifled over a gorgeous score before Ciarán Kilkenny replied for Dublin.

Damien Comer subsequently supplied assists for Walsh and McDaid to score prior to a Paul Conroy point, moving Galway to within one, 0-12 to 0-11.

John Small (mark) and Con O’Callaghan guided Dublin three in front, but Galway ploughed on defiantly.

A Walsh free was followed by another McDaid beauty, and then Galway levelled courtesy of D’Arcy as the tempo increased.

Dublin replacement Ross McGarry edged Dublin ahead again, but once more Galway came thundering back. The excellent Dylan McHugh restored parity with five minutes remaining. Then Heaney edged Galway into the lead with Culhane, released by Comer, putting Galway into a 0-17 to 0-15 advantage late on.

Five minutes additional time followed, but Dublin could only muster a pointed free from O’Callaghan. The evening belonged to Galway.

Scorers for Galway: Shane Walsh 0-7 (4fs), Cillian McDaid 0-3, Dylan McHugh, Paul Conroy, John Maher, Céin D’Arcy, Johnny Heaney, Tomo Culhane, and Matthew Tiernay (m) 0-1 each.

Scorers for Dublin: Cormac Costello (2fs, 1 45) and Con O’Callaghan (1f, 2ms) 0-4 each, Seán Bugler and Ciarán Kilkenny 0-2 each, Brian Fenton, Ross McGarry, Paul Mannion, and John Small (m) 0-1 each.

Galway: Connor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Seán Fitzgerald, Jack Glynn; Dylan McHugh, Liam Silke, Seán Ó Maoilchiaráin; Paul Conroy, Seán Kelly; Matthew Tierney, John Maher, Cillian McDaid; Rob Finnerty, Damien Comer, Shane Walsh.

Subs: Céin D’Arcy for Kelly (22), Liam Ó Conghaile for Finnerty (47), Johnny Heaney for Tierney (54), Cian Hernon for Fitzgerald (60), Tomo Culhane for Walsh (65).

Dublin: Stephen Cluxton; Eoin Murchan, Seán MacMahon, Michael Fitzsimons; John Small, Brian Howard, Jack McCaffrey; Brian Fenton, James McCarthy; Niall Scully, Seán Bugler, Ciarán Kilkenny; Paul Mannion, Con O’Callaghan, Cormac Costello.

Subs: Colm Basquel for Mannion (48), Ross McGarry for Scully (54), Tom Lahiff for McCaffrey (59), Paddy Small for Costello (66), Lorcan O’Dell for Murchan (70+2).

Referee: Seán Hurson (Tyrone).

All-Ireland SFC Preliminary Quarter-Final

Galway 0-14 Monaghan 0-11

By Cian O’Connell at Pearse Stadium

This was a game about Galway’s patience and perseverance. Monaghan were rugged in Salthill, but Pádraic Joyce’s team found a way to survive.

Now, a trip to Croke Park beckons for an All-Ireland SFC Quarter-Final next weekend. That is precisely where everybody wants to be and Galway, unbeaten in the 2024 Championship, head for GAA headquarters heartened.

Monaghan did plenty right in the first half, but Galway just showed a little bit more ambition throughout the match. In such a high stakes battle, that was crucial.

Galway had to deal with the loss of Shane Walsh, but prompted by Paul Conroy’s brilliance and effective displays from the hard running John Maher and Cillian McDaid, the maroon and white prevailed.

A tight opening period satisfied a gritty Monaghan outfit, who accumulated a 0-4 to 0-2 advantage by the 26^th minute.

Vinny Corey’s charges were frustrating the locals and on trips into Galway territory Gary Mohan and Stephen O’Hanlon landed sweet efforts from play.

Shane Walsh was forced off injured for Galway, who terminated a 15 minute search for a score when Matthew Tierney converted a free.

Micheal Bannigan responded for Monaghan, but Galway reeled off three in a row courtesy of Rob Finnerty, Tierney (free), and influential midfielder Paul Conroy.

Ultimately, that Galway burst ensured Pádraic Joyce’s charges led at the turnaround 0-6 to 0-5.

Three of the first five second half points were registered by Monaghan, who were back trading on parity, 0-8 each, following a delicious Conor McCarthy effort in the 50^th minute.

Galway, though, were crafty enough to summon the answers. Damien Comer was introduced to a passionate ovation and the Annaghdown attacker made some crucial plays.

Barry McBennett thumped a 54^th minute attempt off the crossbar when Galway were 0-10 to 0-8 ahead.

Comer’s 62^nd minute score came at the end of a five point Galway streak, including three from Finnerty and one from Maher.

Stephen O’Hanlon, industrious for the visitors, replied before Comer crafted space for another substitute, Liam Ó Conghaile to nudge Galway 0-13 to 0-8 clear.

In the dying embers Monaghan replacement Conor McManus clipped a couple of frees, but it wasn’t enough to stop Galway, who secured a much coveted place in the last eight.

Scorers for Galway: Rob Finnerty 0-5 (3fs), Paul Conroy 0-3, Matthew Tierney 0-2 (2fs), John Maher, Damien Comer, Liam Ó Conghaile, and Shane Walsh (f) 0-1 each.

Scorers for Monaghan: Jack McCarron 0-3 (2fs), Stephen O’Hanlon, Micheál Bannigan (1f) and Conor McManus (2fs) 0-2 each, Conor McCarthy and Gary Mohan 0-1 each.

Galway: Connor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Seán Fitzgerald, Jack Glynn; Dylan McHugh, Liam Silke, Seán Ó Maoilchiaráin; Paul Conroy, John Maher; Seán Kelly, Matthew Tierney, Céin D’Arcy; Rob Finnerty, Shane Walsh, Cillian McDaid.

Subs: Liam Ó Conghaile for Walsh (26), Damien Comer for D’Arcy (42), Johnny Heaney for McDaid (65), Cian Hernon for Kelly (68), Daniel O’Flaherty for Finnerty (70).

Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Jason Irwin, Killian Lavelle, Ryan Wylie; Ryan McAnespie, Ryan O’Toole, Conor McCarthy; Gary Mohan, Joel Wilson; Michael Hamill, Micheál Bannigan, Stephen O’Hanlon; Andrew Woods, Jack McCarron, Barry McBennett.

Subs: Thomas McPhillips for McAnespie (29), Conor McManus for Mohan (46), Micheal McArville for Wilson (54), Ciarán McNulty for McCarron (58), Seán Jones for Hamill (68).

Referee: Seán Lonergan (Tipperary).