Galway Ladies are continuing their fine start to this season’s Bord Gáis Energy National Ladies Football League.
Their latest victory over Tyrone sees them tied at the top of division one alongside Laois before their next outing away to All Ireland champions Cork in two weeks’ time.
On Sunday, in their first home fixture, they accounted for Tyrone by 1 14 to 2 - 7 to maintain their unbeaten run in the league.
Connacht rivals Mayo climbed into third place with their victory over Dublin and are now just a point behind Galway.
Galway can thank a strong opening for this victory despite a second-half revival from a gritty Tyrone outfit.
The home side was ahead by six points after four minutes courtesy of two quick-fire points from Una Carroll and Lorna Joyce, which were followed by a goal. Luck played into Galway’s hands when Tyrone’s Sinead McLaughlin palmed an attempted pass from Carroll into her own net.
This own-goal set Tyrone reeling and Galway capitised. Carroll and Julie-Ann Russell added three each while Niamh Duggan bagged a point. The visitors’ only response was a single point from Caitriona McGahan, ensuring Galway went in at the break 1-10 to 0 - 1 ahead.
However Ulster came out fighting in the second half, and stunned Galway with five points on the trot from Gemma Begley, Kathy Donnelly, Aisling McCrory and Jolene Donnelly (2 ).
It took 15 minutes before Galway found their feet again with Carroll (two ) and Duggan (one ) keeping the gap at nine.
Tyrone continued to battle, and when Aisling McCrory was fouled by Aine Gilmore when advancing on goal, Tyrone were awarded a penalty. Begley’s well struck effort was palmed out by Tina Hughes, but Begley was at hand to convert the rebound into the bottom corner.
Galway substitute Sarah Conneally fired over a fine point, before Begley exposed Gilmore’s absence in the Galway backline to score a fine individual consolation goal in injury time.
GALWAY: T Hughes; N Lohan, A Gilmore, C Cormican (M Connell 25mins ); A Daly, E Flaherty, G Conneally; B Walsh, P Gleeson (S Conneally 30mins, 0-1 ); L Joyce (0-1 ), E Concannon (K Mullins 52mins ), S Burke (D Gorman 46mins ); U Carroll (0-6, 3 frees ), N Duggan (0-3 ), J Russell (0-3 ) (M Coyne 50mins ). TYRONE: S McVey; S McLaughlin, L McGillion, E Teague (M Donnelly 30mins ); N McAnulla, M Kelly, L Donnelly; S Quinn (A McCrory 38mins 0-1 ), N Woods; C Scullion (M Gallagher 30mins ), G Begley (2-2, 1 penalty, 1 free ), C Donnelly (0-1 ); J Donnelly (0-2 ), N Murphy (S Connolly 30mins ), C McGahan (0-1 ).
