All-Ireland SFC: Galway 2-22 Armagh 0-27
More than just one game. In the helter-skelter end, Galway just about won their fierce fight for survival in the Group of Death, coming from eight points down at half-time to land a one-point win with the last kick of the game on Saturday evening; a cool-as-you-like it free by Shane Walsh.
Until then, it appeared Galway would be dependent on simultaneous events up the road in Newry, where Dublin and Derry were also fighting for survival. Derry’s narrow loss to Dublin ultimately sent Galway through in third, and they’ll face an away preliminary quarter-final next weekend.
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Here, it took a thundering second half display by the Tribesmen to eventually wear down the All-Ireland champions. In a repeat of last year’s final, Armagh may have been already through to the quarter-finals, only defeat never entered their minds.
After losing two All-Ireland finals in the last three years, exiting in the group stages this summer would have been hard for Galway manager Pádraic Joyce to stomach. Clearly feeling the same, his team responded in the second half.
“We were fighting for our lives really,” said Joyce, insisting he had no clue what was happening in Newry. “A draw or a defeat was knocking us out, so we had to win the game to go through. But we took the shackles off, and for some reason it took that to start playing a bit of football, and we kicked 2-15 in the second half which was huge kicking.
“At the end there we could have probably lost it. Cein D’Arcy won a kick out at the end and Paul Conroy used all his experience to win the free for Shane. They’re hard kicks, the ones right in front of the goal. It was a super kick by Shane. He gets unfair criticism half the time in Galway about stuff, but he was fantastic today.”
By half-time, Galway were playing second fiddle all over Breffni Park – their season hanging by a thread with the scissors fast approaching.
A sweet goal finished off by John Maher after 39 minutes ignited their comeback. After struggling to generate attacking motion in the first half, Galway were suddenly in continuous onslaught. Paul Conroy added a big point from play, Rob Finnerty too, and on 49 minutes they were level thanks to a two-point free by Walsh.
The remaining 20 minutes were end-to-end. Galway briefly edged in front thanks to Finnerty and Cillian McDaid, before Armagh came again, the excellent Cian McConville scoring his third from play, before Rafferty scored another from out the field. The Armagh goalkeeper finished with 0-7, including three two-pointers.
When Tiernan Kelly and Jarly Óg Burns got in on the Armagh scoring act – among the 13 different scorers in the end – the champions went three points up again. Galway’s season once again flashed before their eyes. Replacement Cathal Sweeney got one back, before Sweeney set up Finnerty for Galway’s second goal after 57 minutes.
The last 10 minutes were even more frantic. Matthew Tierney pushed Galway two points clear again, before Stefan Campbell pulled one back for Armagh. Then came another two-pointer from Rafferty, this time from a free, and the sides were level again.
One last frenzied exchange of scores – points from Walsh and Shane McPartlan – kept it level as the hooter approached. When it did, Galway crucially had possession, and after Conroy was fouled just inside the 45m line by Tomas McCormack, Walsh wasn’t about to miss his chance. He didn’t, finishing with 0-9 in all.
It was a finish a world away from the start in which Kieran McGeeney’s side quickly dispelled any doubts as to whether they would bring their A-game given their quarter-final spot was beyond doubt. Armagh held up possession until the third minute, when O’Neill passed off to Rafferty, well outside his goal, who booted over a two-pointer. Burns was handling a load of ball, and set up O’Neill for their next score, then Peter McGrane for their third – putting them up 0-4 to 0-0 before Galway could get a shot on goal.
Then on eight minutes Galway had their first penalty, Finnerty pulled down by Paddy Burns. Matthew Tierney stepped up and Rafferty saved brilliantly, John Maher then sending the rebound wide. When Walsh hit Galway’s first point after 10 minutes, they settled a bit.
The two teams have been almost inseparable over the last three seasons, but Armagh slowly pulled away. Niall Grimley hit a two-pointer for Armagh, Conor Turbitt added a point, and then Burns provided again for Ross McQuillan. Armagh were up 0-9 to 0-2.
Then on 30 minutes, Matthew Thompson passed off to Walsh, who was pushed over by Paddy Burns, giving Galway their second penalty. Finnerty stepped up this time, somehow blasting his shot over the bar.
Galway did add two more points before the break, through Finnerty and Walsh. With nothing between Derry and Dublin at half-time up in Newry, Galway at that point were facing the exit door.
That message clearly got through for the second half, Galway playing some of their best football this season – Seán Kelly chasing an inordinate amount of ball, Conroy also showing his old form once introduced after 33 minutes.
“We got caught in the last two games in the last play, we learnt the lesson from it this time,” said Joyce. “The lads showed great character and I’m really proud of them, the way they played.”
Sometimes it takes some fear and desperation to bring out the best fight in teams.
GALWAY: C Flaherty; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, S Kelly, L Silke; P Cooke (0-1-1), J Maher (1-0-0); C McDaid (0-0-2), R Finnerty (1-0-4), C Darcy (0-0-1); M Tierney (0-0-1), S Walsh (0-1-7, 1tpf), M Thompson.
Subs: P Conroy (0-0-1) for Tierney (33 mins), D O’Flaherty for Silke (ht), C Sweeney (0-0-1) for McHugh (54), Tierney for Cooke (59), J Heaney for McDaid (68).
ARMAGH: E Rafferty (0-3-1, 2tpf); P Burns, B McCambridge, P McGrane (0-0-1); R McQuillan (0-0-3), T Kelly (0-0-1), J Og Burns (0-0-1); J Duffy (0-0-1), N Grimley (0-1-1); D McMullan (0-1-0), R O’Neill (0-0-1), J McElroy; C McConville (0-0-3), A Murnin (0-0-1), C Turbitt (0-0-1).
Subs: T McCormack for McCambridge (20 mins, inj), G McCabe for Burns (ht), S Campbell (0-0-1) for Duffy (53), C Mackin for Grimley (58), S McPartlan for (0-0-1) McConville (62, inj) O Conaty for McMullan (63).
Referee: N Mooney (Cavan).
