In a game littered with goal chances, Galway’s greater ability to take their chances was the key factor in their win over Laois at O’Connor Park in Tullamore on Saturday.
Evan Murphy, Robert Finnerty and Ryan Forde all found the net to build up a 13-point lead for the Connacht champions by the midway point in the second half. It could have been a different story, with Laois squandering as many as eight goal chances during the hour. That said, Galway goalkeeper Cormac Haslam was in inspired form.
Despite struggling at midfield, Galway led 2-6 to 0-2 at half-time, with Desmond Conneely and Robert Finnerty netting within 60 seconds of each other shortly before the interval.
The tie was all but settled when Finnerty picked out Forde with a glorious crossfield pass to set up the game’s final goal with 15 minutes to play.
Laois continued to win most of the possession right up until the end and the last six points of the game all went their way. However, they couldn’t find the goal they needed, coming closest late on when Haslam brilliantly saved Diarmuid Whelan’s penalty.
GALWAY: C Haslam; E Deeley, S Mulkerrin, F Garvey; A Quirke, E McDonagh, L Kenny; R Murphy, S Raftery; F Ó’ Laoi, E Murphy (1-3), R Forde (1-0); R Cunningham, D Conneely (0-4), R Finnerty (1-3, one free). Subs: J Maher for Cunningham (35 mins), S Thornton for Kenny (41 mins), L Boyle for Deeley (53 mins), M Kerrigan for Murphy (56 mins), J Gavin for Ó’Laoi (59 mins).
LAOIS: R McGrath; D Bennett, J Kelly, R Hitchcock; S Bolger, S Byrne, J O’Connor; R Tyrell, M Connolly; F Crowley (0-1), A Deering (0-2), C Comerford; A Kinsella, J Kavanagh, D Whelan (0-7, frees). Subs: D Phelan for McGrath (bc, 24 mins), J Kelly (0-1) for Kinsella (h-t), D Feane for Bolger (bc, 43 mins), L Davis (0-1) for Comerford (43 mins), E Lowry for Kavanagh (43 mins). Referee: James Bermingham (Cork)
