Gaelic Games

Galway embrace the conditions to hand out a thrashing to Meath

Visitors fail to register a first-half point at Pearse Stadium as Tribesman start in style

Galway’s Paul Conroy competes in the air with Ethan Devine and Padraic Harnan. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho

Sun Jan 30 2022 - 17:54

Galway 1-14 Meath 0-6

Galway manager Padraic Joyce said they won’t be getting carried away with their emphatic start to life in Division Two as he felt that the atrocious conditions at Pearse Stadium played a big part in the game.

Meath didn’t manage a single score until the 45th minute of the game and by the time they got the wind and rain behind them in the second-half, they were trailing by 1-9 to 0-0.

“The conditions played a huge part there,” said Joyce. “When we won the toss, we decided to take the elements and play with it. It was nip and tuck in the first-half there for a while but the lads fought their way and to get a 12-point lead at half-time was unassailable really.”

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Meath manager Andy McEntee refused to speak to the media afterwards but he will surely be looking for a response before they host Roscommon next week after a particularly bleak day for the Royals.

Galway were patient in their build-up when they had the elements behind them and bit by bit they built up a substantial lead with Seán Kelly, Cillian McDaid and Kieran Molloy dominant at the back, Paul Conroy outstanding in the middle of the field, and Shane Walsh and debutant Owen Gallagher, the former Antrim player, sharp up front.

In contrast, Meath struggled in just about every position and they were 0-3 to 0-0 behind after 12 minutes after Walsh, who finished with 0-8, kicked two points and the hard-working McDaid also hit the target.

Two more frees from Walsh pushed Galway clear and then when Meath full-back Ronan Ryan, a late replacement for the injured Conor McGill, dropped a sideline from Walsh, Tomo Culhane pounced to punch the ball to the net and leave them 1-5 to 0-0 in front after 28 minutes.

The Tribesmen pushed on from there and added two more frees from Walsh, while debutant Gallagher crowned a good display with a point.

Galway finished the half strongly and would have been even further ahead but Meath goalkeeper Harry Hogan managed to tip a shot from Rob Finnerty over the bar for them to lead by 1-9 to 0-0 at the break.

Meath needed a good start to the second-half but Galway held possession for almost three minutes after the restart before Walsh kicked his second point from play and Paul Kelly followed with another one directly afterwards to lead by 14 points, with Meath hitting four wides in the opening eight minutes of the second-half.

Meath finally got off the mark after 45 minutes when Joey Wallace kicked a point from 40 metres but it took them another 12 minutes to add to it when substitute Jordan Morris pointed to make it 1-11 to 0-2 after 57 minutes.

Morris also added a free but Galway, despite missing a few goal chances, continued to extend their lead through Finnerty and Walsh as they ran out comfortable winners on a day that Meath fans will quickly want to forget.

Galway: C Flaherty; K Molloy (0-1), S Kelly, L Silke; D McHugh, J Daly, C McDaid (0-1); Paul Kelly, P Conroy; M Tierney, O Gallagher (0-1), F Ó Laoí; T Culhane (1-0), R Finnerty (0-2), S Walsh (0-8, six frees). Subs: C Sweeney for Culhane (44), Paddy Kelly (0-1) for Ó Laoí (55), T Gill for McDaid (63), C McWalter for Walsh (66).

Meath: H Hogan; E Harkin (0-1), R Ryan, R Clarke; C Hickey, S McEntee, D Keogan; P Harnan, E Devine; M Costello (0-1), B McMahon, C O'Sullivan; J Conlon, S Walsh (0-1), J Wallace (0-1). Subs: J Morris (0-2, one free) for McMahon (30), T O'Reilly for Conlon (46), E Wallace for O'Sullivan (48), S Ó Fionnagáin for Wallace (53), G McGowan for Hickey (64).

Referee: P Maguire (Longford).

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