Galway progress after enthralling goalfest victory over Down

Irish Examiner

4 hours ago

All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-final: Down 3-21 (3-4-17) Galway 2-26 (2-5-21)
The best could be yet to come said Cork manager John Cleary on Saturday night and this latest chapter of the Sam Maguire Cup made for riveting viewing.
Galway will be in the All-Ireland quarter-final pot on Monday morning but only after Down, for the second time in the space of seven days, came up just short in a captivating game of football.
The 14,435 crowd in Newry's Páirc Esler were treated to a gem of a game but one wonders just how many of these close shaves Galway can keep enduring. Armagh last week, Down this week, their return to Croke Park is going to test all of their resolve and reserve.
Galway led by five points with eight minutes left on the clock but a couple of Down goals ensured they had to sit tight until the end for a fine win brightened by dazzling performances like Matthew Thompson's and rescue operator Peter Cooke.
The first quarter was pockmarked with scoring opportunities spurned by wood, goalkeeper or wind. Thrice Down kicked short, twice Galway hit the post and twice they had goal shots kept out by Ronan Burns.
Robert Finnerty was first to be denied by Burns in the 15th minute and Cillian McDaid was stunted less than three minutes. Those openings had come after a 14th minute goal by John McGeough that was a casebook example of the lightning dash to Down's football in this championship.
The home side had been under immense pressure on their kick-out and conceded five points in a row including a Finnerty two-pointer when a long boot from Burns landed over the Galway cover and Odhrán Murdock drove forward and supplied McGeough for a tidy finish.
At the third time of asking, Galway raised a green flag in the 22nd minute as Walsh took receipt of a Matthew Thompson pass and tucked the ball. However, it was not without controversy as Down's Patrick McCarthy was on the ground with a head injury when Galway turned over the ball in their own half.
The Down management were apoplectic on the sideline and made their case to referee Derek O'Mahoney again at half-time. Yet their team's reaction to the setback was strong: Danny Magill sent over a quick brace of points and McCarthy's temporary replacement Eugene Branagan completed a hat-trick of unanswered scores.
That 26th minute score, however, was Down's last of the half as Walsh made the game his own for the remainder. He sailed over the first of two-pointers in the 28th minute and caught the next kick-out ball that put in train the attack for a Finnerty point.
Walsh brought his personal total to 1-3 with a point on the half-hour mark and then hurt his shoulder when winning a two-point free, which he converted a minute later.
Thompson ended the half with three points himself, the second a two-pointer, to give Galway a more than justified 10-point lead.
In less than four second-half minutes, Down has sliced that in half with a couple of two-pointers and Pat Havern's first free. Back Galway came with a string of three points as Thompson took over the mantle of leading his team.
The margin was eight in the 42nd minute but was whittled down to two by the 58th as Conor Flaherty couldn't find white shirts. Daniel Guinness sent over his second two-pointer and substitute Caolan Mooney added back-to-back points and Pádraic Joyce twice summoned for Connor Gleeson to be ready to come on.
However, the change never came. Substitute Cooke was becoming a presence and Joyce held off. A Walsh two-point free despite him being clearly lame put Galway five ahead prior to Cooke having a shot kept out by Burns.
Murdock, Down's best player, planted a lovely goal in the 64th minute to put Down in touch and set up a finale. Tomo Culhane's goal, courtesy of a Cooke pass, followed by Daniel O'Flaherty's second point appeared to put Down to the sword only for Ryan Magill to add a third goal for the hosts.
However, Cein Darcy stepped up to give Galway the necessary space and Ryan McEvoy's two-pointer after the hooter was mere consolation to a Down side that played its part in another gem of a game.
Scorers for Down: O. Murdock (1-2); J. McGeough (1-1); D. Guinness (0-4, 2tps); R. McGill (1-0); D. Magill, M. Rooney (tp), P. Havern (frees), C. Mooney, R. McEvoy (tp) (0-2 each): E. Branagan, A. Crimmins (free), C. Doherty, J. Guinness (0-1 each).
Scorers for Galway: S. Walsh (1-7, 2tpfs, 1 tp); R. Finnerty (0-6, 1tp, 1 free); M. Thompson (0-5, 1tp); T. Culhane (1-0); C. McDaid, M. Tierney, D. O'Flaherty (0-2 each); P. Cooke, C. Darcy (0-1 each).
DOWN: R. Burns; C. Doherty, P. Fegan, P. Laverty; D. Magill, R. Magill, M. Rooney; D. Guinness, O. Murdock (c); J. Guinness, P. Havern, P. McCarthy; J. McGeough, R. McEvoy, A. Crimmins.
Subs: E. Branagan for P. McCarthy (temp 22-26); E. Branagan for P. McCarthy (h-t); C. Mooney for J. McGeough (53); O. Savage for C. Doherty (58); C. McCrickard for A. Crimmins (62); F. Murdock for M. Rooney (66).
GALWAY: C. Flaherty; J. McGrath, S. Fitzgerald, L. Silke; D. McHugh, S. Kelly (c), C. Hernon; P. Conroy, J. Maher; C. Darcy, M. Tierney, C. McDaid; R. Finnerty, M. Thompson, S. Walsh.
Subs: P. Cooke for P. Conroy (48); D. O'Flaherty for C. Hernon (57); J. Heaney for C. McDaid (temp 61-69); T. Culhane for S. Walsh (62); J. Daly for J. Maher (67).
Referee: D. O'Mahoney (Tipperary).