Galway 2-9 Donegal 1-5
The Galway footballers are generating quite a bit of
excitement around Brighton as they followed up their convincing victory over
the Connemara Gaels with another over a fancied Donegal team. Galway played some nice possession football
and a goal in either half proved to be just about the difference in the
end. With Michael Daly and Eoin Finnerty
playing key roles, Galway were full value for their win.
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| Campbell at one end for Donegal. |
Galway played some lovely passing football in the first half
and there were some great scores from the Brighton based team. Michael Daly at center forward took a handful
of well kicked points, while wing back Stuart Cullen added a nice score as did
Kevin Cummins with a free from outside the 45.
A goal came from a penalty after Barry McHugh was pulled down in the box
following an incisive Galway move. Eoin
Finnerty took it well, low and hard to the keeper’s left.
John Campbell at corner forward was the main threat for
Donegal. Campbell accounted for 1-2 of
Donegal’s 1-4. The goal was an
opportunist one, Campbell was in the right spot after a mis-hit shot came off
the post. Galway had just lost McHugh to
a red card following a foul on Eoin O’Connor and although the tribesmen had a
two point lead, it was going to be a tough second half if they were to pull off
a win.
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| Finnerty at the other end for Galway. |
The teams were soon level in terms of on field personnel
after Eoin O’Connor was booked a second time for an incident after conceding a
free. Donegal had also lost the services
of center back Darren Green who looked to have suffered a serious knee
injury. Galway struck with a second
goal, Cummins showed presence of mind to calmly use the outside of his right foot
after the window to shoot seemed to have closed, and the ball was adjudged to
have crossed the line before being cleared by the Donegal defence. The score was followed by a powerful point
from Eoin Finnerty, the Mountbellew man put the ball over the bar from 45 yards
and distance to spare.
The pace of the game slowed as fatigue took hold for both
sides, Finnerty at times was the lone Galwayman in the Donegal half as the
Brighton side fell back to defend Donegal’s forward forays. Galway tried to play the possession game to
run out the clock, and defended in numbers, and limited Donegal to a single
second half point. The tribesmen
controlled the remainder of the game and Donegal did not cause them too much
trouble in the latter stages of the game.
Galway looking good mid-way through the season.
Galway: J.Kelly, G. McCoy, J. Kennedy, S. Cullen, P.
Naughton, C. Mannion, E. Stritch, E. Kavanagh, F. Ferguson, M. Daly, B. McHugh,
E. Finnerty, K. Cummins. Donegal: C. McLaughlin, D. Monaghan, C. Russell, R.
Dunleavy, D. Green, S. McMenamin, G. Gallagher, B. Donnelly, A. McLaughlin, E.
O’Connor, V. Coyle, L. Carr, J. Campbell.
By Rory O'Donnell
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