Galway: 1-15 - J Fallon 1-2, P Clancy 0-4; N Finnegan 0-3; D Savage, P Joyce 0-2 each; S Og de Paor, J Bergin 0-1 each.
New York: 1-5 - M Slowey 1-3; G Dowd, M Coleman 0-1 each.
Referee: P McGann (Westmeath).
Booked: Galway - S O Domhnaill; New York - K Murray, P O'Reilly, K Ryan, P O'Connor, P Sloan, B McCabe. Sent-off: Sean Og de Paor.
Galway had their expected Connacht championship first round win over New York at Tuam Stadium on Saturday evening, but it was a victory that came at a high cost to two of their leading players. Team captain Padraig Joyce was carried off with a knee injury early in the second half and inspirational wing back Sean Og de Paor was sensationally sent off for the first time in his career after pulling on the ball in a ruck of players.
Of more immediate concern for manager John O'Mahony in the aftermath was the condition of Joyce. The Galway forward underwent an X-ray within hours of the game and yesterday evening O'Mahony was a little more optimistic.
"We know from the result of the X-ray that nothing is fractured," said O'Mahony. "But it will take another couple of days before we know if he is completely in the clear. The knee is still very tender and the team doctor will have to look at it again to see if there is any ligament damage. But it is looking a little more positive today."
The home side overcame their difficulties to record a 10-point win, but they played well only in flashes. They started slowly, conceding a first-minute point to Michael Slowey, and didn't take the lead until early in the second quarter.
Boosted by a Jarlath Fallon goal, however, they struck form in some effective spells and were 1-9 to 0-3 ahead at the break. By then it was over as a contest, but within seconds of the restart New York struck for a goal by Slowey. That at least made it interesting for a while longer.
O'Mahony won't have been impressed by the manner of this score. After a long ball was floated deep into the home side's defence, Slowey made a reasonably simple catch and had little trouble placing the ball past Martin McNamara.
Derek Savage restored Galway's momentum until the loss of Joyce upset them again. It followed a rash tackle by Keith Murray, which was enough to earn the New York defender a red card. Shortly after that, however, de Paor also saw red.
Just moments before, de Paor had added to Galway's tally but when drawing on a loose ball on the ground, his foot made contact with New York midfielder Gary Dowd - and this yielded a straight red card.
It was somewhat unfortunate for de Paor, who had never been booked in a competitive encounter before this. Commenting on the incident, O'Mahony said there was nothing malicious about it and he was concerned for de Paor's record. But even if de Paor is handed the statutory one-month suspension, he should be eligible for the provincial semi-final because his ban would end at midnight before that game.
The visitors fought bravely to the end and were probably satisfied in the circumstances to keep the margin at 10 points - especially as it appeared Galway always had a little more in reserve. Still, O'Mahony admitted that his side had certainly performed well below their best and there was plenty of work to do before the next day.
Substitutes: Galway - J Divilly for Fahy, L Colleran for Fallon, M Donnellan for T Joyce, K Comer for P Joyce. New York - M Comerford for Breslin, J Walsh for O'Connor, S Nolan for Blake.
