Medtronic 1-07
Galway Garda 0 - 09
The Galway Garda, seeking their third successive interfirms football title, were denied by a determined Medtronic outfit on Monday evening.
A goal from Mike McNamara in the fifth minute helped to secure a first Galway title for Medtronic, who were never behind in a contest which went right to the wire.
In a lively encounter, both sides exchanged early points before McNamara’s early goal, helping his side to go three points clear at the end of the opening quarter. The Garda hit back with points from Shane Igoe, Mark O Sullivan and Shane Waldron to level the contest approaching halftime, but Medtronic took a 1- 03 to 0 - 05 interval lead thanks to a Mike Kelly point just before halftime.
Despite facing the stiff breeze, Medtronic were the better team in the second half and could have been comfortably ahead were it not for some fine saves from Alan Keane in the Garda goal. Medtronic’s David Morris scored a point within a minute, and although points from Cormac Bane kept the Garda in touch, Thomas Crowe fired over what proved to be the match-winning score in the closing stages.
Medtronic: C Clarke, D Fee, M Farragher, D McHugh, T Shaughnessy, R Rogers, T Crowe (0-1 ), K Kilroy(0-1 ), D Gilmartin, M McNamara (1-0 ), D Hogan (0-1 ), C Greaney, P Kenna (0-1 ), D Morris (0-1 ), M Kelly (0-2 ).
Galway Garda: A Keane, S McHugh, P Kelly, N Delaney, R. McIntyre, C Boyle, S Kelly, P Kelly (0-2 ), M O Sullivan (0-1 ), B Meaney, C Bane (0-4 ), S Waldron (0-1 ), F Kilbane, S Igoe (0-1 ), C Barrett. Subs: D Hardiman, C Cawley.
Referee: F Kinneen (St James ).
