Galway Garda won the Connacht Senior Inter-firms Football Championship for the first time with a victory over fancied Mayo Teachers.
In a rained-lashed McHale Park, the Tribesmen dug deep to pull off this success, having trailed by four points midway through the first half.
Cormac Bane was the scoring hero of the hour, both from play and placed balls, but they had leaders all over the park, notably the fullback line of Barry Burke, Pauric Kelly and Colm Boyle, while the midfield duo, Brendan Ryan and Shane Walderon, were to the fore.
The Mayo men were four points clear after 12 minutes, but Galway battled back with Brian Meaney sending a penalty to the net after Bane was fouled in the small square. Scores from Bane and Declan Fawl had the Tribesmen before they were gifted a second goal. A high lobbing ball from Brendan Ryan deceived the Mayo defence and ended in the back of the net.
However the Mayo Teachers were back in the match within two minutes when corner forward Brendan Prendergast tucked the ball away under a despairing dive of Alan Keane, but a Cormac Bane free gave Galway a 2-05 to 1 - 06 half time lead.
Inspired by Mike Conroy, the Mayo men were on top for a large period of the second half, but they could not break down a resolute Galway rearguard. The accuracy of Cormac Bane ensured the Garda were never behind in the second half. After soaking up the pressure the Garda wrapped up the match and provincial title when Cormac Bane cut in from the right and unleashed an unstoppable shot to the roof of the Teachers’ net.
The Galway Garda now have a home match against their Cork counterparts in the All Ireland semi-final in a few weeks’ time.
Galway Garda: A Keane, C Boyle, P Kelly, B Burke, S Durcan, P Kelly, R McIntyre, B Ryan(1-0 ), S Welderon, N Lydon(0-1 ), C Bane(1-8 ), P O Connor, D Fawl(0-1 ), M Walkin, B Meaney(1-0 )Subs: N Lennon, N Delaney, S Igoe, P McBride, J Kelly.
