GALWAY 2-9

LEITRIM 0-6

Alan Dooley at Tuam Stadium

THE final scoreline from Tuesday’s U-20 Connacht football semi-final paints a picture of a comfortable Galway victory in Tuam Stadium, but in truth a brave and committed Leitrim performance forced the home side to dig deep and work their way through some turbulence before eventually kicking clear in the closing ten minutes.

Galway’s final two scores in a game played in incessant drizzle were goals that finally took the contest out of the grasp of Benny Guckian’s side. However, when Paul Moran kicked an excellent point for the visitors on 45 minutes there was only a solitary point between the sides and the travelling Leitrim supporters were sensing a famous victory to match their minors win over Galway in 2022.

Donal Ó Fátharta’s side responded well to the challenge laid down, though, and engineered two close range frees that Headford’s Seán Bermingham stroked over the bar. Scores from play were hard to come by for Galway as the wind aided Leitrim’s efforts, but when substitute Mike Moughan picked up possession on the left flank and drove hard towards goal on 54 minutes, space opened up in front of him and a thunderous finish gave Galway the score they needed to steady any nerves.

From there it was very much a case of game management with a six-point lead in hand, until space opened up deep into injury time for Matthew Thompson to power onto a Maidhc Mac Gearailt pass and fire in Galway’s second goal. This win sets up a Connacht final date next month, with Ó Fátharta now having time to watch potential opponents make their way to the decider.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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