Padraic Joyce’s Galway side is sitting dangerously low in the Allianz League division one table following a defeat to Davy Burke’s Roscommon 0-09 to 0-08.
In what was far from a classic in Pearse Stadium on Sunday afternoon, the result leaves both Galway and Monaghan as the only two sides without a win after round two.
The Tribesmen will want to start picking up wins as quickly as possible to avoid a relegation battle thus ensuring Galway’s next four fixtures are crucial. Against Ulster opposition, it is crucial they get at least two wins from these games.
Roscommon, on the other hand, are now sitting pretty at the top of the table as the only team with a 100 per cent record in division one thus far as they followed up their impressive opening round win over Tyrone with an equally impressive victory in Salthill.
Roscommon opened the scoring in the first minute when Daire Cregg got off the mark, and it got worse for Galway when in the fifth minute Peter Cooke launched a high ball towards Comer who landed awkwardly. Galway manager Padraic Joyce acknowledged after the game that it did not look good for the talismanic player, but the seriousness of the knee injury is still unclear. However, there are real fears his possible absence could seriously impact Galway's season.
Comer was replaced by Moycullen’s Dessie Conneely before Roscommon wing forward Ciaran Lennon extended his side’s lead to two in the ninth minute.
Galway finally got on the scoreboard in the 13th minute when substitute Dessie Conneely converted a free, and both sides went scoreless for the next ten minutes until centre forward Matthew Tierney got on the end of a move to level the game.
This set the tone for a period of prolonged Galway pressure as they scored four points in succession. Dessie Conneely kicked his second placed ball, which was soon followed up by a beauty from wing back Dylan McHugh off his left foot. Cillian McDaid kicked a wonderful individual score on the stroke of half-time to extend the lead to three. There was just enough time left in the first half for Diarmuid Murtagh to pull one back for the Rossies to leave the score at 0-05 to 0-03 at half-time.
Galway began the second half the brighter of the two teams as Johnny Heaney quickly restored his side’s three-point lead after the break. Another Conneely free put Galway four in front after six minutes, but Diarmuid Murtagh, leading the Roscommon fightback, once again reduced the deficit to three.
Second-half substitute Ian Burke got his first league point in a Galway shirt since 2018 in the 50th minute to leave the score at 0-08 to 0-04. His point was to be Galway’s last of the day as Roscommon pulled together to produce five scores on the bounce to take home the points.
Substitute Ben O’Carroll notched a brace in this spell, Ciaran Murtagh kicked one, and Diarmuid Murtagh scored the equalising free. Richard Hughes kicked the contentious winner in stoppage time when it appeared Jack Glynn was fouled high up the pitch.
Joyce will be bitterly disappointed with the defeat, but his headaches will extend far beyond the result of the game. The loss of Comer only adds to the continued absence of Shane Walsh, Rob Finnerty with injury, coupled with the losses of Liam Silke and Kieran Molloy. This is where the depth of the panel will be required if they are to get points on the board.
Galway U20s
The Galway U20s are in action on Saturday in Hyde Park when they take on Roscommon in the first round of the 2023 John Kerins Cup.
Galway won the competition in its first year in 2019, with Cork and Kerry winning the 2020 and 2022 events respectively.
Fitzgibbon Cup
The 2023 Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-finals will be played this weekend, with NUI Galway facing SETU Carlow tomorrow at 6pm,while ATU Galway meet UCC at 7pm.
