NFL Division 1: Galway 0-21 Roscommon 2-16
This is turning out to be a great maiden league campaign for new Roscommon boss Mark Dowd and they backed up their wins over Monaghan and Armagh by coming from 13 points adrift in the final quarter to edge out neighbours Galway in a cracking contest in difficult conditions in Salthill.
Galway, having picked up three points after coming from behind in their away win to Armagh and draw in Kerry, looked set for victory when they extended their 11 points lead after the restart when facing the elements at Pearse Stadium.
But they were unable to close out the deal as Roscommon, with Daire Cregg, Diarmuid Murtagh and Enda Smith leading the way, came storming back to snatch it at the death. It condemned Galway to a second home defeat, having gone down to their other Connacht rivals Mayo on the opening weekend.
Roscommon, having opted to play against the strong wind and rain in front of a crowd of 6,043, trailed by 0-16 to 0-5 at the interval despite starting with the opening two points of the match from a Diarmuid Murtagh free and the first of Daire Cregg’s three points in the opening half.
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Galway finally settled and Rob Finnerty got them off the mark after 10 minutes, with Matthew Tierney and Seán Kelly following with points.
Cregg fisted an effort for Roscommon but with Galway winning most of the kick-outs around the middle, with captain John Maher leading the way, they took over and pulled 0-9 to 0-3 in front after 24 minutes, with Tierney and Liam Ó Conghaile landing two-pointers.
Roscommon pulled back a point from Murtagh before Ó Conghaile got his second two-pointer and Maher, Finnerty and Shane McGrath quickly followed with points.
Cregg’s third point came three minutes from the interval but Galway finished strongly with McGrath and Finnerty finding the range, with all of their opening half haul of 0-16 coming from play.
Kelly and Cregg exchanged points after the restart before Galway, with the rain abating and the wind easing, pushed the lead out to 13 points as Finnerty and Ó Conghaile found the range.
But Roscommon hit back. Cregg and Murtagh struck points and then Smith soloed through and fired low to the left corner to cut the margin to 0-20 to 1-8 after Dylan McHugh had pointed for Galway after 49 minutes.
Cregg fisted his sixth point of the contest and then Murtagh landed Roscommon’s first two-pointer before Cregg added a free to reduce the margin to 0-20 to 1-12 with 11 minutes remaining.
Galway manager Pádraic Joyce responded by bringing on former Footballer of the Year Paul Conroy for the start of his 19th campaign with the Tribesmen, but it was Roscommon who continued to eat into the lead with goalkeeper Aaron Brady converting a 45 to leave four between them 10 minutes from time.
Dylan Ruane cut that advantage in half with a two-pointer from the left and then Smith set up Cregg after picking up a loose clearance and the Boyle clubman drilled the ball to the net to put Roscommon in front by a point with five minutes left.
Galway got level two minutes from time when Kelly pointed but then Roscommon countered and Smith set up Ciarán Lennon for the winning point in the final minute.
Galway had a chance to snatch it at the death but goalkeeper Brady saved from substitute Oisín MacDonnacha in the final play of a gripping match.
GALWAY: E McGrath; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; C Hernon, D McHugh (0-0-1), S Kelly (0-0-3); J Maher (capt) (0-0-2), M Tierney (0-1-1); S McGrath (0-0-2), R Roche, C D’Arcy; R Finnerty (0-0-4), F McDonagh, L Ó Conghaile (0-2-2).
Subs: D O’Flaherty for Roche (25 mins); C Power for McDonagh (46); K Molloy for Hernon (54); P Conroy (for D’Arcy (59); O Mac Donnacha for Ó Conghaile (66).
ROSCOMMON: A Brady (0-0-1, a 45); P Gavin, C Keogh, N Higgins; E Ward, R Daly, S Lambe; K Doyle, C Ryan; D Ruane (0-1-0), E Smith (1-0-0), D Heneghan; D Murtagh (capt) (0-1-3), D Cregg (1-0-7, 2f), R Heneghan.
Subs: P Carey for D Heneghan (3 mins); C Neary for Doyle, E Colleran for R Heneghan (both 45); C Lennon (0-0-1) for Carey (51); J Duggan for Ryan (59).
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).
