Gaelic Games

Galway clinch third Connacht minor title in row

Sligo defeated as Conor Campbell, Padraic Costello and Daniel Kenny find back of net

Galway’s Conor Newell breaks away from Sligo’s Evan Lyons at Pearse Stadium where the Tribesmen prevailed to win their third title. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho

Sun Jul 9 2017 - 15:11

Connacht Minor Football Final

Galway 3-11 Sligo 0-10

Galway won their third Connacht minor title in a row as Conor Campbell’s first-half goal halted Sligo’s dream for a third title at Pearse Stadium.

Padraic Costello and Daniel Kenny hit further goals for Galway in the second half, but the sending off of Conor Newell 15 minutes from time is a blow for the Tribesmen as the Ulster runners-up await in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

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With the breeze at their backs from the start Sligo got off to a good start and 12 seconds in Conall Ryan pointed, and 40 seconds later Luke Towey gave Sligo a 0-2 to 0-0 lead.

Fluid attack

Darragh Silke kicked four points by the interval for Galway, and he put Galway on the board after five minutes, but Sligo were fluid in attack and Red Óg Murphy and Ryan soon worked a three-point lead for their team.

But Sligo’s dominance ended there. Campbell’s solo goal in the 17th minute put Galway on top and they led 1-6 to 0-6 at the interval.

Two quick points from Matthias Barrett and a third from Costello gave Galway a six-point lead by the 36th minute, and once Kenny flicked Evan Murphy's long delivery to the net in the second half there was no way back for Sligo.

Galway: O Burke; E McFadden, S Mulkerrin, G Burke; J Glynn, S Fitzgerald, L Boyle (0-1); M Barrett (0-2), E Murphy (0-1); B Harlowe, D Silke (0-4, 0-3 frees), C Campbell (1-0); C Newell, P Costello (1-1), M Kerrigan (0-1). Subs: D Kenny (1-0) for Harlowe (half-time), L Costello for Kerrigan (50 mins), R Cunningham (0-1) for P Costello (51 mins), C Potter for Boyle (53 mins), J Kyne for Burke (60 mins).

Sligo: A Davey; J Ellis, B Cox, E Lyons; B Tuohy, E Lavin, O Conlon; N Colsh (0-1), B Gorman (0-1); C O'Dowd, L Towey (0-1), K McKenna; R Anderson, R Og Murphy (0-3, 0-2 frees), C Ryan (0-3). Subs: M Cahill for O'Dowd (29 mins), J Stephenson for McKenna (32 mins, black card), J Weir for Tuohy (46 mins), R Walsh (0-1) for Anderson (49 mins), J McMunn for Lavin (57), O Grehan for Colsh (63 mins).

Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo).

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