Galway 1-20 Monagan 1-14
THE SECOND-HALF dismissal of two Monaghan players proved decisive at Pearse Stadium yesterday as Galway secured their first win of the campaign.
The game seemed poised for a tight finish as Monaghan hit back in the second half having trailed by five points at the break. But then free-taker Paul Finlay, after 52 minutes, followed by substitute Gavin Doogan 10 minutes later, picked up second yellow cards.
Monaghan manager Séamus McEnaney was far from happy with Longford referee Derek Fahy as he felt Monaghan were poised for a big finish until two of his men got their marching orders. “The game was in the melting pot with 15 minutes to go and the official’s wisdom to give Paul Finlay a yellow card was unbelievable. It was one of the turning points in the game,” he said.
Monaghan have lost both of their opening fixtures despite scoring 4-26 in those games.
Galway boss Joe Kernan had sympathy for his old friend and felt the dismissals were harsh. “This was not a robust encounter, it was not dirty and I can understand why Monaghan will feel aggrieved. It is meant to be a manly game and it is not good for the game when two players get dismissed like that.”
Kernan was not getting carried away despite notching a big score as they bounced back from their defeated to old rivals Mayo.
Galway pulled away in the opening quarter, hitting five points without reply to lead by 0-7 to 0-3 after 13 minutes. Most of the scores came from frees as Monaghan struggled to contain Michael Meehan and Nicky Joyce, but Conor McManus was a constant threat for the visitors.
Fiachra Breathnach landed a brace for Galway from play and it took a fine save from Adrian Faherty to deny McManus a goal 10 minutes from the break.
Monaghan needed a good start to the second half and they got it with points from Vincent Corey and McManus before the deficit was reduced to the minimum by the 43rd minute as Tommy Freeman and Finlay found their range. But Galway responded with captain for the day Michael Meehan pointing to settle their nerves and while Finlay kicked a monster free from 45 metres, his subsequent sending off took the wind from their sails.
Galway hit six points without reply in a 15-minute spell that included the dismissal of Doogan, with Meehan landing three. Seán Armstrong, Paul Conroy and Niall Coleman also made use of the extra space to find the range and the game seemed done and dusted as the Tribesmen led by 0-19 to 0-12 with five minutes remaining.
There was time for some drama as Dick Clerkin set Brendan McKenna up for a late goal which left just three between the sides after McManus had tacked on another two. The large Monaghan following sensed a last-gasp rescue job but as they piled forward Galway struck on the counterattack with Nicky Joyce blasting to the net to seal the win.
GALWAY: A Faherty; D O’Neill, F Hanley, T Fahy; G Bradshaw (0-1), D Blake, G O’Donnell; J Bergin, P Conroy (0-1); C Bane, F Breathnach (0-2), N Coleman (0-1); M Meehan (0-6, five frees), N Joyce (1-4, three frees), S Armstrong (0-5, two frees). Subs: D Cummins for Breathnach 40 mins, E Concannon for Bane 65 mins.
MONAGHAN: S Duffy; C Greenan, D McArdle, D Hughes; G McQuaid, D Freeman, N McAdam; D Clerkin, F Caulfield; P Finlay (0-4, three frees, one sideline), D Malone (0-1), C McManus (0-5, one free); V Corey (0-1), C Hanratty, T Freeman (0-3, one free). Subs: G Doogan for McArdle 27 mins), H McElroy for Hanratty half-time, B McKenna (1-0) for Caulfield 46 mins, S Gollogly for Malone 55 mins, K Hughes for Freeman 70 mins.
Referee: Derek Fahy (Longford).
