Sun Aug 4 - Senior Football: Galway v Wolfe Tones

In a do or die match, Galway would face the Wolfetones in their final matchup of the Senior Football Championship. Galway needed a win to have another chance at the coveted 4th spot, anything less (loss or draw) would send the Wolfetones through to the Semi Finals of the Senior Championship.

The game started off slowly, with a number of wides from both sides. It would be Aughnamullen’s Michael Bannigan for Galway who got the first score off a free. Galway’s formation was set up very defensively, playing very deep, no players really in the forward line, and not allowing any Wolfetones player through early on. Eventually, the Wolfetones would get through the defence with a long point from Darragh Kennedy to level the game.

Sean Carrabine was on form for Galway in their victory on Sunday.

The game wouldn’t be level for long however, as Sean Carrabine and Michael Bannigan would both score free’s, one from each side of the pitch sides to give Galway a 2 point lead. They would continue to extend their lead, as Michael Bannigan got a goal off a Tones error. The ball was ran in, passed across the square, and palmed into the back of the net.Gerry Troy would try and get the Tones back on track with a point, however, Galway would quickly retaliate as Michael Bannigan got another goal, controlled it off a well passed ball, to bring them into halftime with Galway winning 2-6 to 0-4.

Galway started the scoring in the 2nd half with a free from Bannigan once again. But the Tones responded with a goal to get them back in the match from Jack Hannan. But Galway would negate the goal with another goal of their own from Jamie Walshe,whose shot was nearly stopped by the keeper, who got a hand to it, but the shot was too powerful to stop. The Tones wouldn’t go down without a fight as they started to attack strongly, trying to force a few goals. The Galway defence would snuff the goal attempts out. Only allowing points from outside the 30 yard line in this period. The Tones would keep trying though, and nearly had a breakthrough when Ronan Jones broke through Galway defence, around the square, and kicked it low and to the left. However the keeper Jamie Kelly would stretch and saved the shot. It would be Galway who would be victorious on the day, with a final score of 3-11 Galway 1-11 Wolfetones.

With this victory, Galway won their first game of the season, and given themselves a lifeline, as these two teams faceoff once again on Wednesday August 7th to determine who will be in the Semi Finals against Aidan McAnespies.

Galway : Jamie Kelly, Mark Mannion, Evan Wynne, Stuart Cullen, Danny Burke, Sean Meluiller, Jamie Walshe, Cian Hanley, Adam Gallagher, Sean Carrabine, Shairoze Akram, Kevin Cummins, Michael Bannigan

Wolfetones : Shane Hayes, Emmet Maloney, Paudy Keneally, Jack Hannan, Kevin O’Brien, Darragh Kennedy, Sean Egan, Paschal Connell, Gerry Troy, Thomas Beckett, Benny Carroll, Ronan Jones, Chris Sallier

By Evan McDonagh