Mayo 0-12 Galway 1-11
Galway’s dominance over Mayo – it is four years since Mayo beat their Connacht rivals – continued at MacHale Park as they emerged worthy winners in what was at times a bruising encounter before a crowd of over 10,000.
Late points in six minutes of injury time from Donal Vaughan and Diarmuid O'Connor left Mayo needing a goal to win the game but it was Galway who played the better football into a strong wind in the second half. They also had an ace in the pack in Shane Walsh, who kicked five frees, a huge score on the night considering the conditions.
Ironically it was while two Galway players – Michael Daly and Barry McHugh – were sent to the sin bin within 30 seconds of each other that Galway scored their goal in the first half following a very well orchestrated move. Danny Cummins started and finished it after Johnny Heaney put the ball on a plate for him to tap to the net on 26 minutes,
Playing with the strong wind in the first half, Galway made hay with Antaine Ó Laoí scoring two from play, while Heaney, Michael Daly and Cummins were also on target to give them a 1-7 to 0-3 lead at the break. All of Mayo's scores coming from frees from Jason Doherty.
Mayo closed to within a point of their rivals –1-8 to 0-10 – with seven minutes remaining but three unanswered frees from the unerring Walsh restored a four-point lead which Mayo could only cut in half
MAYO: D Clarke; C Barrett, D Harrison, K Higgins; L Keegan, C Boyle, S Coen; M Ruane (0-1), D Vaughan (0-1); F McDonagh, A O'Shea, D O'Connor (0-1); J Durcan, D Coen (0-1), J Doherty (0-7, six frees).
Subs: K McLoughlin for J Durcan (h/t), A Moran (0-1, mark) for S Coen (47 mins), B Reape for McDonagh (69).
GALWAY: R Lavelle; E Kerin, SA O'Ceallaigh, D Wynne; G O'Donnell, J Daly, J Heaney (0-1); T Flynn, C Duggan; M Daly (0-1), D Cummins (1-2, one mark), O Cooke; B McHugh, S Walsh (0-5, five frees), A Ó Laoí (0-2).
Subs: F Ó Laoí for Bradshaw, G Bradshaw for T Flynn (both h/t), E Brannigan for D Cummins (60 mins), P Cunningham for A O Laoi (70).
Referee: M Deegan (Laois)
