Mayo beaten by arch rivals Galway
GALWAY maintained their 100% record in the Allianz National Football League in 2018 with victory over arch rivals Mayo in Pearse Stadium this afternoon.
It finished 1-13 to 0-11 in favour of the Tribesmen, a result that leaves them sitting pretty at the top of the table but gives Mayo much work to do over the remainder of the campaign.
The game was seven minutes old before the opening score arrived, a Damien Comer point for Galway, and the same player added a second a minute later.
Thirteen minutes had elapsed before Mayo scored, a free from Cillian O'Connor after a foul on Aidan O'Shea.
O'Connor's free-taking was a feature of the game – he ended up with five points out of Mayo 0-11 – but Mayo were always chasing the game after a Barry McHugh goal in the 18th minute, although they did score the final two points of the half to trail by just two at the break, 0-05 to 1-04.
Galway started the second half brightly and had the opening two points to stretch their lead to four – a lead Mayo were never able to claw back.
In the closing moments the game was marred by three separate melees, which involved the majority of players on both teams. In the end, both Cillian (straight red) and Diarmuid (two yellows) O'Connor were sent off, with Galway's Paul Conroy (two yellows) also going for an early shower.
Before the game, a minute's silence was impeccably observed in memory of Andy Moran's father, Vincent Moran, who passed away over the weekend.
Galway: R. Lavelle, D. Kyne, S.A. Ó Ceallaigh, E. Kerin, C. Sweeney, G. Bradshaw, S. Kelly, P. Conroy (0-2), P. Cooke, J. Heaney (0-1), S. Walsh (0-2, 0-1f), E. Brannigan (0-3), B. McHugh (1-3, 0-2f), D. Comer (0-2), B. McHugh.
Subs used: S. Armstrong, T. Flynn, A. Varley, G. O’Donnell, C. D’Arcy, J. Duane.
Mayo: D. Clarke, G. Cafferkey, C. Crowe, E. O’Donoghue (0-1), C. Boyle (0-1), P. Durcan (0-1), S. Coen, J. Gibbons, A. O’Shea, J. Doherty (0-1f), M. Hall, D. O’Connor (0-1), C. Loftus, C. O’Connor (0-5f), K. McLoughlin (0-1).
Subs used: G. McDonagh, D. Newcombe, A. Gallagher, F. Boland, J. Stretton, S. Nally.
Referee: A. Nolan (Wicklow).