Galway senior footballers will be playing division two football for the 2022 season after four years in the top tier.
Losing to Monaghan by a single point (1-21 to 2-17 ) in their relegation play-off, Galway must now turn their focus to the Connacht Championship and a meeting with Roscommon on July 4.
Padraic Joyce’s side will have many regrets despite what was an enthralling encounter in Clones. A number of simple scoring opportunities were passed up by the Tribesmen, particularly in the second half, and there were far too many pot shots from a team which has high aspirations.
Now it will be a battle to regain division one status next year, but Galway possess the calibre of players capable of doing just that.
The weekend saw the return of fans to stadiums with 200 spectators allowed at St Tiarnach’s Park, Clones, to witness this contest between two sides that gave everything for their counties. But it was Galway who finished on the wrong end of a one point game, losing 1-21 to 2-17, and were left to rue the countless chances they missed when they were in a strong position to close out the game.
Galway had bolted out of the traps at the start with a point in the opening 10 seconds when Peter Cooke picked out Shane Walsh who tapped over. Monaghan quickly responded with points through evergreen Conor McManus, goalkeeper Rory Beggan, and their flying wing back Ryan McAnespie.
Galway struck back with 1-2 without reply. Eamon Brannigan got himself on the scoresheet, Shane Walsh popped over a free, and Paul Kelly bagged his second goal in three games after some excellent work by Matthew Tierney.
Oughterard man Tierney took his marker to the cleaners before producing an exquisite right-footed pass across the goal to Kelly who duly tucked it home.
Early Monaghan substitute Jack McCarron was on fire in the first half, kicking three beautiful points off his left foot from the right side of the pitch. The third of those points was one of the best this year when, close to the sideline, he curled a screamer of a shot between Galway goalkeeper Connor Gleeson’s posts.
However, Galway finished the half the stronger of the two teams when Kieran Molloy, who impressed in the opening half, picked out Robert Finnerty who smashed home past Rory Beggan as the sides entered the break with Galway leading 2-06 to 0-09.
The second half began nip and tuck with the two teams matching each other with three points apiece. Galway were then handed a major advantage as Monaghan were reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes when lively wing forward Dessie Ward received a black card
Joyce’s side increased the advantage to five points during that time, substitute Cathal Sweeney scoring the pick of the bunch in this period.
Monaghan reduced the advantage to three through two Dessie Ward points before the crucial score came in the 71st minute when Monaghan substitute Kieran Hughes evaded his marker to strike past Connor Gleeson and level the game.
Galway were then reduced to 14 men when Paul Conroy received a black card, but Matthew Tierney looked to have won the game for Galway with a gutsy ’45 deep into stoppage time.
However, Conor McManus, as he so often does for his team, produced the goods in the fifth minute of stoppage time with a point to send the game to extra-time.
Both teams looked leggy in extra-time with more mistakes creeping into the play. Johnny Duane, Robert Finnerty and Walsh all pointed for Galway as they led by a point at the break. Man of the match Jack McCarron and Kieran Duffy pointed for Seamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney’s side as they edged in front for the first time since the early stages of the game as the match entered the dying embers.
A hopeful ball in from Conroy saw Matthew Tierney pluck an amazing mark from the sky which looked to have saved Galway. However, it was not to be. McCarron sold a dummy, and from 35 yards out, slotted over a point worthy of winning any game in the last second of added time in extra time.
Monaghan: R Beggan (0-1, 1 45 ); D Ward (0-3 ), K McMenamin, R Wylie; K Duffy (0-1 ), C Boyle, K O’Connell (0-1 ); N Kearns, K Lavelle; M Bannigan, C McCarthy, R McAnespie (0-2 ); S O’Hanlon, A Woods, C McManus (0-4, 2f ). Subs: J McCarron (0-7, 2f ) for Woods 11, D Hughes (1-1 ) for Bannigan h/t, F Kelly for O’Connell 47, A Mulligan for Lavelle 51, G Mohan for O’Hanlon & S Hanratty for Wylie 65. S Carey (0-1 ) for McCarthy, B McBennett for Kearns and Bannigan for McMenamin e/t, O’Connell for Boyle 83, McCarthy for Mohan 86, Wylie for Duffy 89.
Galway: C Gleeson; S Kelly, J Glynn, S Mulkerrin; K Molloy (0-1 ), D McHugh, L Silke; P Conroy, M Tierney (0-2, 1 45, 1m ); E Brannigan (0-1 ), P Cooke, F O Laoi; R Finnerty (1-3, 0-1m ), S Walsh (0-7, 6f ), P Kelly (1-1 ). Subs: J Heaney for Brannigan 32, J Duane (0-1 ) for Glynn h/t, C Sweeney (0-1 ) for Molloy & D Conneely for P Kelly 51, G O’Donnell for O Laoi 63, T Culhane for Finnerty & M O Bairead for Walsh 68. Walsh for Culhane & Finnerty for Heaney e/t, Molloy for Silke 83, Culhane for Finnerty & O Laoi for Cooke 88.
Referee: D Gough (Meath ).
