By Pádraic Ó Ciardha

FOR the second time in as many weeks, things weren’t looking particularly rosy for the Galway footballers at half-time in Croke Park last Sunday. While not quite in the hole they were in against Dublin the fortnight previous, the Tribesmen still looked to have a fair bit of work ahead of them if they were to overcome Donegal and reach an All-Ireland final for the second time in Pádraic Joyce’s reign.

The sides were level as they headed to the dressing rooms, 0-10 to 1-7, but there was little doubt as to who was the better side in those opening 35 minutes. After kicking two wides with their first couple of efforts, Donegal gave a clinic in shooting once they settled into things. Oisín Gallen with two points and Michael Langan with three were the main threats but scores simply came easier to the Ulster champions, who kicked ten points from 12 shots after those early wides.

Galway, for their part, were probably lucky to be level at the break as there was more than an element of fortune to Paul Conroy’s goal in the 24th minute, his effort dropping short but Matthew Tierney did very well to unsight Shaun Patton.

Unlike against Dublin, when Galway weren’t putting sufficient pressure on their opponents out the field, it was with the gaps behind their first line of defence that Galway struggled in the first half against Donegal, as evidenced by the first three points they conceded.

Shane O’Donnell opened the scoring for Donegal but the crucial moment in the move came when Paul Conroy and Dylan McHugh allowed Ciarán Thompson in behind too easily. A couple of minutes later, Thompson cut past Céin D’Arcy without too much difficulty before stroking an effort over the bar. In the 13th minute, clever movement from Oisín Gallen opened up the space for Langan to get in behind Conroy and again find the target.

It was something Galway struggled with throughout the half, as evidenced again by Langan’s second point in the 32nd minute when he was given far too much space behind that first line of Galway defenders and kicked over Donegal’s third point on the trot, reeling in the lead Conroy’s goal had given Galway. Langan is a renowned shooter and for him to clip over three points in the first half with such relative ease was a major issue.

Pictured: Galway’s Johnny McGrath is challenged by Shane O’Donnell of Donegal during Sunday’s All-Ireland Senior Football semi-final at Croke Park. Photos: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile.