The Irish Times - Monday, February 8, 2010

Gantley inspires

In this section »

Galway 1-22 Offaly 1-16: A MAGNIFICENT display from full forward Joe Gantley inspired Galway on Saturday in this Walsh Cup semi-final in Tullamore. He struck 1-6 from play as Galway were pushed hard by Offaly.

With Gantley running riot, they stormed into a 0-6 to 0-0 lead after 10 minutes. Offaly settled and with the help of a Ger Healion goal, they had it all square by the 22nd minute.

Ger Farragher’s frees – scoring nine points – with a Gantley goal put the winners 1-11 to 1-6 ahead at the break.

With 15 minutes left, Galway led 1-18 to 1-9 but Offaly hauled themselves back in to it.

Shane Dooley’s goal cut the deficit to five points and with three minutes left, the gap was three.

A goal-line save by Donal Barry from Shane Dooley kept Galway in front and Eoin Kelly secured the win with a 21-yard pointed free.

GALWAY : J Skehill; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, P Holland; D Barry, T Og Regan, K Hynes; G Farragher (0-10, nine frees, one sideline) , N Cahalan; A Callanan (0-1), C Donnellan (0-1), D Burke (0-3); A Harte (0-1), J Gantley (1-6) , N Hayes. Subs : I Tannion for Harte (62 mins), R Cummins for Hayes (62 mins), A Coen for Hynes (71 mins).

OFFALY: E Kelly (0-1, free); J Rigney, E Murphy, S Wynne; P Cleary, D Horan, D Morkan; J Keane, R Hanniffy (0-2) ; J Brady, G Oakley (0-1) , S Kelly; C Parlon, G Healion (1-2), S Dooley (1-7, five). Subs : B Carroll for J Brady, D Hayden for Murphy (both half-time), K Brady (0-2) for Keane (42 mins), C Mahon (0-1) for Kelly (48 mins), M Verney for Oakley (64 mins).

Referee: J Owens (Wexford).