Senior Football: Galway Secure Quarter Final Place

Galway 1-8 Cork 0-8

There was a possible quarter final place at stake when Cork and Galway met Saturday evening.  Jack Lynch made his senior football debut and started on the half forward line for Cork.  Fresh off county minor success at the CYC, the seventeen year-old American born youth league graduate acquitted himself well over the 60 minutes.  It was Galway, however, who had the horses to carry them through a well contested encounter, and a first half penalty did the cause of the tribesmen no harm either.

Galway had the upper hand over the first 30 minutes.  After 20 minutes the tribesmen had built a 1-3 to no score lead.  Eoghan Kavanagh, Kevin O’Grady, and Paddy O’Rourke accounted for a point each before the goal chance came in the form of a penalty.  Sean O’Donnell made an attacking run from wing back and was a little fortunate not to be called for too many steps before being pulled down in the penalty area.  O’Rourke executed the spot kick with aplomb and things looked dim for Cork.  The rebels picked up their game however.  Packie Leddy had a lot of work on his shoulders in the middle of the field, and Cork’s fortunes improved as the Cavan man came into the game more.  Leddy and Richie Hodnett got Cork on the scoreboard, but it was the type of game where Cork would need to make the most of every chance . A couple went awry, as did a handful for Galway, but one felt that the tribesmen could afford a few more misses than the rebels. 

Galway made it to the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

Cork faced a five point deficit to start the second half, Leddy reduced it to four with a fine individual point from the throw-in.  Cork’s options up front were limited while Galway could afford to introduce Kevin Cummins, a veteran of past campaigns to join O’Rourke at corner forward.  Danny Reddin worked tirelessly in the Galway forward line, O’Rourke converted two lovely points and Reddin took a neat score for himself.  Mike Moynihan and O’Rourke exchanged points, O’Rourke’s was a fine effort from outside the 45 meter line.  With time running out and facing a six point deficit Cork were thrown a lifeline when Danny Reddin was sent off for dissent.  Jack Lynch got on the scorebard with a point and Mike Moynihan added two points, but Cork could not get the traction needed.  Galway’s Tommy Walsh moved into the middle of the field and won enough ball to keep the rebels at bay.  Cork out of the senior football championship, but for the first time in a number of years were right in it until the final game.

Referee:  Richard Maloney (Luimnigh)

Man of the Match:  Paddy O’Rourke (Galway)

Galway:  P. McComiskey, J. O’Callaghan, D. Wynne, S. Gallagher, E. Whelan, S. O’Donnell, R. Tierney, E. Kavanagh, D. Reddin, T. Walsh, J. Kehoe, K. O’Grady, P. O’Rourke.  Cork:  J. O’Toole, J. Wycherley, O. Bryan, R. Hodnet, K. Moynagh, M. Carey, M. Burke, P. Leddy, J. Lynch, M. Lynch, M. Moynihan.

By Rory O'Donnell