Galway edge out Mayo on penalties after a thriller

Galway 1-9 Mayo 1-9 (Galway win 4-2 on penalties)

Galway advanced to the final of the FBD League final after edging out Mayo 4-2 in a penalty shootout after scoring an equalising goal in the dying moments of the match.

A crowd of around 7,000 saw Galway come from behind to force the tie to penalties and then goalkeeper Maghnus Breathnch produced the goods to block efforts from Diarmuid O’Connor and Andy Moran.

Moran, starting his 16th campaign for Mayo, looked like he would taste his first win over Galway since 2015 but Barry McHugh struck late in the game to force the game to penalties when he drilled home a goal after delivery from Michael Daly.

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Mayo never trailed in the contest and led by 1-5 to 0-3 at the interval, with Jason Doherty getting the goal from close range after a delivery from the impressive Michael Plunkett.

Galway did not score from play in the opening half against the wind, with Mayo full-forward Brian Reape again impressing, shooting 0-3 from play during the contest at Tuam Stadium.

Doherty and McHugh twice exchanged points early in the second-half to leave it 1-7 to 0-5 after 46 minutes.

Galway got the gap down to a goal after 58 minutes after Johnny Heaney had hit the post when McHugh pointed a 45 but almost immediately Reape hit back with his third point of the afternoon.

However, Galway did not give up and McHugh saved them with his late goal before goalkeeper Breathnach saved the efforts from O’Connor and Moran.

Reape and James Kelly found the net for Mayo but Galway advanced to the final as Liam Silke, Heaney, McHugh and Tom Flynn hit the target.

MAYO: R Hennelly; K Higgins, B Harrison, D Drake; C Boyle, M Plunkett, J McCormack; D Vaughan, D O'Connor; F McDonagh, C Loftus, F Boland; C Diskin (0-2, 0-1 frees), B Reape (0-3), J Doherty (1-4, 0-4 frees).

Subs: A Moran for Loftus (35 mins), C O’Shea for Boland (48 mins), S Coen for McCormack (53 mins), L Keegan for Doherty (64 mins), J Kelly for Drake (72 mins).

GALWAY: M Breathnach; D Kyne, S A Ó Ceallaigh, L Silke; K Molloy, J Daly (0-2, 0-1 frees), D Wall; K Duggan, T Flynn; C McDaid, M Farragher, J Heaney; F Burke, M Boyle, B McHugh (1-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 '45).

Subs used: P Cooke for Duggan (35 mins), S Kelly for Molloy (42 mins), M Daly (0-1) for Farragher (50 mins), G O’Donnell for Wall (52 mins), E Kerin for J Daly (61 mins).

Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).