The portents are looking good for Galway footballers after the minors won their first All Ireland crown in fifteen years.
Alan Glynn's minors produced an emphatic display over a much-fancied Mayo side last Friday evening in Dr Hyde Park, winning by 0-15 to 0-9 to claim their seventh All Ireland title.
Having lost to Mayo in the round-robin stage and again in the Connacht final, not many gave Galway a chance. But, that is the beauty of minor football - there is no fear. This lack of fear and a will to play football was best shown by An Spidéal's Tomás Farthing.
The cornerback deservedly won man of the match after mopping up every single ball that threatened his side’s goal. Adding to that he also starting to make driving runs from his full-back line to set up yet more attacks for his side.
Although Galway won by six points, it could very easily have been more. Missing countless goal chances might have affected the mentality of other teams, but this was a group playing with smiles on their faces and nothing to lose.
Joint captain Éanna Monaghan scored Galway’s first four points to settled his side before letting his distribution skills do the talking for the next 40 minutes. Colm Costello had another stormer of a performance, scoring five points from this inside forward line. Shay McGlinchey showed maturity beyond his 16 years, winning and breaking ball alongside his midfield partner Jack Lonergan. And much praise for this Galway win must go to Kyle Gilmore and his performance in goal.
On the rare occasion Mayo broke down the Galway defence, the Cortoon Shamrocks man never looked like conceding, while his kick-outs throughout the game were flawless. It allowed Galway to control their possession and repeatedly start attacks, ensuring Mayo spent large parts of the game on the back foot.
Manager Alan Glynn will be delighted how his side overturned their troubles from the second half of round-robin when, having lost to Mayo and Leitrim, they lost to Mayo again. It is quite possibly the first time a side has lost three championship matches and gone on to win the All-Ireland, which shows amazing resilience from such a young group of players.
Monaghan dropped deeper for the final quarter of the game, and despite not scoring himself, his passing set up scores for Stephen Curley, Charlie Cox and Colm Costello to clinch the game for Galway while Mayo, getting desperate, tried to force a goal.
On the night Galway were fully deserving of their victory and started a massive weekend for Galway GAA with a significant win.
Mayo: D Dolan; R Mortimer, J MacMonagle, L Silke; L Maloney, C McHale (0-1 ), P Gilmore; J Keane, L Feeney; J Maheady (0-3 ), D Hurley, D Duffy; C Keavney (0-1, 1f ), R Clarke (0-4, 2fs ), N Hurley. Subs used: O Armstrong for D Hurley (40 ); Z Collins for Keavney (43 ); O Cronin for Maheady (57 ); D Gallagher for Keane (59 ); S O’Dowd for Feeney (64 ).
Galway: K Gilmore; T Farthing, R Flaherty, V Gill; M Mannion, C Trayers (0-1 ), R Coen; J Lonergan, S McGlinchey (0-1 ); O Morgan, S Dunne, S Curley (0-2 ); F O’Connor (0-1 ), É Monaghan (0-4, 3fs ), C Costello (0-5, 2fs ). Subs used: C Cox (0-1 ) for O’Connor (45 ); O Kelly for Dunne (42 ); P McNeela for Mannion (56 ); L Carr for Curley (60 ); C Dolan for Costello.
Referee: N Cullen (Fermanagh )
