All-Ireland SFC Round 2A: Galway 3-21 Westmeath 2-21
Galway manager Padraic Joyce said the manner in which they controlled the game in the second half, when they were playing against the breeze, was the most pleasing thing about his side’s victory over Westmeath, which sees them into the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
Galway led by seven points at the break and their dominance after the restart saw them extend that advantage out to nine points by the 64th minute before Westmeath came with a superb late rally that got the margin down to two points in the final minute.
The Westmeath fans, estimated to be about two-thirds of the 25,000 capacity crowd at Pearse Stadium in Salthill, hoped they might head to extra-time for a fourth game in a row but the Leinster champions were unable to rescue this one.
“It was a great game overall,” said Joyce. “I’d be really happy with our boys, the way they kept fighting. I think our second half was really, really good. Controlled the game for long periods. There’s always going to be parts of games you’re not happy with.
“But when we controlled the ball and seemed to play a little bit more freedom, we kind of were better. Whereas in the first half we were rushing shots with the breeze, because we had the breeze, thinking we had to get the two-pointers.”
Two goals in the opening 11 minutes from the sublime Shane Walsh and the superb Cian Hernon took the sting out of the Westmeath challenge in a carnival atmosphere at the seaside resort where Galway GAA decided to open the gates at 11am after a huge crowd started queuing.
Galway’s Shane Walsh and Kevin O'Sullivan of Westmeath compete for possession. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
The venue was a sea of maroon with Galway wearing their white away strip and Westmeath donning their alternate green colours but by half-time it was the home crowd who had most to cheer about as they opened up a 3-9 to 1-8 lead.
Captain Ronan Wallace got the Westmeath goal after 20 minutes after being set up by Tadhg Baker and Sam McCartan but they were hit with a massive blow before the break when trying to wind down the clock as Galway countered from deep, and a superb floating ball from Walsh was fisted to the net by Matthew Tierney.
Westmeath lost midfielders Brían Cooney and Ray Connellan to injury while Galway strengthened their side when the likes of Damien Comer and Shane McGrath came on.
Céin D’Arcy dominated the aerial exchanges around the middle third, Walsh tormented the Westmeath full-back line, and Paul Conroy continued to pick off some excellent points on an afternoon when 10 players found the target for Galway.
Galway’s Céin Darcy and Brían Cooney of Westmeath in action. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
They should have put the game to bed before Westmeath rallied with two-pointers from Robbie Forde and McCartan either side of a fisted goal from sub Jack Duncan, but Comer won the next kickout and set up McGrath for a point.
“We could have nicked it at the end but I don’t think we probably deserved it over the course of 70 minutes,” admitted Westmeath manager Mark McHugh.
“We didn’t win so we have to regroup but these boys have tasted defeat before and they just have to get on with it and that’s it. You’re only as good as your next game so whoever we draw, we’ll give it our fair concentration during the week and we’ll try to get the bodies right as best we can. It might not be too easy but we’ll have 15 men ready to go next weekend.”
Galway: C Gleeson; J Glynn, C Hernon (1-0), L Silke; D McHugh, J Daly, S Kelly (0-1); P Conroy (0-5, 1 2p), J Maher; C D’Arcy (0-2), F McDonagh, C McDaid; R Finnerty (0-3), M Tierney (1-2), S Walsh (1-4, 0-1f). Subs: K Molloy (0-1) for Kelly (6-10, blood), S McGrath (0-2) for McDonagh (24), D Comer for McDaid (50), Molloy for Daly (61), D O’Flaherty (0-1) for Finnerty (62), S Ó Maoilchiaráin for Conroy (67).
Westmeath: J Daly; C Dillon, C Drumm, D Scahill; T Baker (0-2), R Wallace (1-2, 1 2p), S Allen; B Cooney (0-1), R Connellan (0-1); K O Sullivan (0-1), S McCartan (0-4, 1 2p), M Whittaker; J Heslin (0-4f), S Baker (0-2, 1f), B Kelly (0-2). Subs: S Corcoran for S Baker (6-16, blood), H Niall for Cooney (half-time), S Ormsby for Connellan (39), J Duncan (1-0) for Whittaker (48), Corcoran for Kelly (61), R Forde (0-2, 1 2p) for Niall (64).
Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry).
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