Down beaten by Galway despite second-half fightback

BBC News

22-06-2025

Galway withstood a second-half Down fightback as they moved into the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-finals with a 2-26 to 3-20 win at Pairc Esler.Leading by 10 at the break, a Shane Walsh-inspired Galway seemed well on their way, but Down gave it a real go and it took Tomo Culhane's late goal to give the Tribesmen breathing space.Certainly, Down could be proud of their efforts but will reflect on the final nine minutes of the opening half when they were outscored by 0-9 to 0-0 as Walsh hit six and Matthew Thompson three as the period when the game got away from them.But they were within two when Culhane beat Ronan Burns, while a late Down goal from Ryan Magill came too close to the hooter.It was an even start with points from John McGeough and Odhran Murdock edging Down into a lead, but Galway began to find their rhythm with Robert Finnerty on song early, hitting the game's first two-pointer to give Galway a 0-6 to 0-2 lead.Down's response was excellent and a sweeping move resulted in McGeough thumping home to bring the home crowd to life before Murdock levelled soon after.But after Cillian McDaid edged Galway back in front, enter Shane Walsh. The Tribe talisman got on the end of a Matthew Thompson delivery to thump home and beat Ronan Burns who had previously made a couple of great stops from Finnerty and Cian Hernon.Again Down replied with two super Danny Magill scores and another from blood sub Eugene Branagan to reduce the gap to one with 26 minutes played.But it was all Galway in the run to the break as Walsh in particular took over, hitting the next six points including two two-pointers from play and a free.Matthew Thompson would get in on the act with a two-pointer and a single of his own as Galway went in at the break with a 1-16 to 1-6 lead.
It was a long way back for Down, although they had the breeze in their favour for the second half, but they got the start they needed with two-pointers from Daniel Guinness and Miceal Rooney.A Havern free cut the gap to five, but Galway steadied again with Thompson, Finnerty and Mathew Tierrney all on target.Down began to get on top and a second two-pointer from Guinness was the spark as they got to within two, but then passed up further scores with some poor wides which would come back to haunt them.Caolan Mooney hit two points after his introduction as Down remained right in the hunt heading into the home stretch and after Walsh kicked a two-point free to push the gap back to five, Down looked set to break for home as with five to go, Odhran Murdock found some space to lash to the net.But Galway held their nerve, kept the ball and drained the clock until it opened up as Peter Cooke put fellow sub Culhane in to lash home.With the gap at six with just over a minute to go, Magill palmed home at the other end, but vitally, Galway won the restart and John Daly provided the insurance with a late Ryan McEvoy point after the hooter making no odds as Down's fightback came up short with Galway advancing.