Roscommon 3-5

Galway 0-7

Eanna O’Reilly at Tuam Stadium

THE Galway minor footballers came out second best against Roscommon in a low scoring and intense Connacht semi-final at Tuam Stadium on Friday evening. After a strong opening 25 minutes, Neil McHugh’s charges lost their way somewhat and a poor spell before half time cost them. The concession of two goals, plus the awarding of a black card to wing back Shay Rabbitt turned the contest on its head.

The young Tribesmen were largely chasing the game in the second half, and a well organised Roscommon outfit defended resolutely to keep the home side to a 0-3 scoring total in the second period. Overall, the visitors displayed more guile on the day and were deserving of their victory.

The home side made a bright start when Killian Joyce pointed a free after a foul on Charlie Killeen. With the aid of the wind, Roscommon soon got the scoreboard ticking. Dean Casey pointed, after a good pass from Stephen Tighe, before Tighe pointed himself after a well worked attacking move.

Galway equalised when Joyce sent over a good score from the right corner, after taking a pass from Niall De Paor. Three minutes later, Roscommon’s Joe McKeon sent over a point from 25 yards to make it 0-3 to 0-2.

The home side began to dominate possession and pressurise the Roscommon defence. Niall De Paor converted a free, before finishing off a good move involving John O’Sullivan and Cian Rafferty with a point from play. However, some of Galway’s shooting into the wind saw them drop the ball into Roscommon ‘keeper Patrick Gaynor on numerous occasions as they failed to make their dominance show on the scoreboard.

Pictured: Galway’s Killian Joyce securing possession against Roscommon during Friday evening’s Connacht Minor Football semi-final at Tuam Stadium. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.