The Galway Minor panel pictured in Tuam Stadium before the Mayo Game
Galway advance to Connacht Minor Final
Galway 0-15 Mayo 1-9
At a sun drenched Tuam Stadium Galway had three points to spare over Mayo in the Electric Ireland Minor Football Championship on Friday evening, it’s the Tribesmen third win in the group and as a rest they have advanced to the provincial final in two weeks time. The winners had a narrow two points lead at the break 0-11 to 1-6 despite conceding a goal from Jack Mahon, Donal O’ Fathartha’s side had will be happy to reach the first ever Connacht U-17 final following on from the U-18 finals wins in recent years.
Matthew Cooley was again Galway’s top marksman as he shot 0-4 points having scored three in the first quarter, points followed from Ryan Monaghan and Cathal Sweeney; the visitors had early points from Ultan O’Reilly and Frank Irwin, in the second quarter the visitors hit a purple scoring 1-2 without reply with points from Martin Bell and Enda Hession before Mahon scored the only goal of the evening with ten minutes to go to the break to push his side a point a head 1-4 to 0-6.
The winners hit four more points to go in at break two points in front, and in part two Sweeney and Liam Judge added early points to push the hosts four in front, but Mayo responded with a brace of points from Ultan O’Reilly before Tony Gill restored Galway’s lead to three points 0-14 to 1-8, Mayo were guilty of wasteful shooting in that second half but the winners kept their cool in the sweltering heat to advance to the decider.
Galway had scores from Matthew Cooley 0-4, Cathal Sweeney 0-3, Daniel Cox 0-3, Ryan Monahan 0-1, Conor Raftery 0-1, Éanna McCormack 0-1, Liam Judge 0-1 and Tony Gill 0-1
The Galway team was : Donie Halloran; Ethan Walsh, Seán Black, Cian Deane; Ryan Monahan, Tony Gill, Cathal Sweeney; Paul Kelly, Conor Raftery; Liam Judge, Éanna McCormack, Oisín McCormack; Oisín Gormally, Daniel Cox, Matthew Cooley. Subs used Aidan Halloran, Eoghan Tinney, Sean Horkan, and Conor Halbard
