Galway Steal a Point

Aidan McAnespies 1-11 Galway 1-11

Galway and McAnespies shared the spoils in a game that huffed and puffed and never really came to life.  For a time it looked as if McAnespies would finally take advantage of the extra man following the sending off of Sean Gallagher, but there was a twist in the tale and Galway snatched a late equalizing goal from Peter Nolan at the death.

Sean Cournane was in good form for McAnespies.

Galway opened the game brightly and put over three unanswered points to get affairs underway.  Ollie Doherty scored after the first sequence in play, and points also came from Jamie Kehoe and Doherty free.  The Galway forwards looked quick and played the ball around nicely.  McAnespies began to show a little more as the half wore on.  Sean Cournane pointed a free and Niall Gallen added another from wing back.  A Cournane free leveled the scores, and Cournane then followed with a lovely point from play as he weaved his way on the endline and finished with the left boot.  Mid way through the half Sean Gallagher was shown the line by referee Tadhg Lucey for striking an opponent, and Galway looked like they had it all to do.  McAnespies played the extra man in the back line, and Galway still enjoyed plenty of possession.  After Gareth O’Neill put McAnespies two to the good Galway showed patience on the ball to wait for the right scoring opportunities. Danny Reddin, Doherty, and Graham Cullen put four over the bar between them to make it a two point half time advantage for Galway, 0-7 to 0-5.

Paul McConway tries to rally McAnespies.

McAnespies quickly got themselves back ahead with a goal from Cournane in a flash of the type of football we saw from the champions a short year ago.  Colm McCrory played a great handpass to the inrushing Cournane, and the Caherciveen man blasted home low and hard.  McCrory followed up with a point and Macs led by two.  Galway pulled level thanks to two Doherty pointed frees with 15 minutes left.  Macs then seemed to turning the screw as Galway began to tire.  It was the effort of individuals that led McAnespies back, Colm McCrory in particular and Fergal O’Doherty making forward runs in efforts to claim both points.  The champions, however, missed some easy scoring chances that would bite them in the end.  Cournane put McAnespies ahead with a great score, and followed with a second as time was winding down.  Colm McCrory appeared to have put the game away for McAnespies with another point, but thanks to Galway’s quickness and endeavor in the forward line an opening was created for substitute Peter Nolan who slotted home from close range at the final whistle.  Disappointment for McAnespies, and for Galway a point salvaged that will do their confidence no end of good. 


Referee:  Tadhg Lucey

Man of the Match:  Jamie Kehoe - Galway

Macs:  P. Coakley, P. McConway, M. Bogue, C. Dempsey, F. O’Doherty, N. Gallen, G. O’Neill, M. O’Ganaill, G. McAlinden, N. McCrory, S. Lynn, S. Cournane, C. McCrory.  Galway:  P. McComiskey, S. Fox, J. O’Callaghan, S. Gallagher, E. Whelan, R. Vickers, O. Doherty, E. Kavanagh, J. Kehoe, L. Kelly, D. Reddin, G. Cullen, M. Kenny.

By Rory O'Donnell