COLLEGES GAA / Connacht SFC semi-finals: St Mary's Galway 2-6; St Colman's, Claremorris 1-5 St Mary's advanced to the final after a dour struggle at Flanagan Park, Ballinrobe, yesterday.

A Paul Conroy goal 11 minutes into the second half effectively killed off the St Colman's challenge in a match which produced 21 wides.

A strong breeze helped the Galway side to lead by 1-2 to 0-3 at half-time, Stephen Kavanagh getting the goal. But that breeze died away in the second half and St Mary's stretched their advantage to six points before St Colman's came back with a goal from Aiden McTigue.

ST MARY'S: R Hannon; F Duggan, J Ruane, K O'Connor; C Healy, G Bradshaw, K Sheridan; E Moran, C Bohan (0-1); P Lydon (0-1), R McCann, P Conroy (1-1); D Lee, O Concannon (0-2), S Kavanagh (1-1). Subs: D O'Connell for Lydon.

ST COLMAN'S: A McCallick; T Nally, J Healy, K Cunningham; J Griffith, P O'Sullivan (0-1), P Hughes; I McWalter, K Griffith; C Boyle (0-3), K Glynn, B Gallagher; O Feeley, E Varley, A McTigue (1-1). Subs: J Griffin for Hughes, S Mitchell for McWalter.

Referee: M Murphy (Ballinrobe).