Connacht MFC final: Roscommon 3-12 (3-2-8) Galway 1-17 (1-4-9)
Roscommon’s more clinical edge in front of goal trumped Galway’s two-point threat in a dramatic Connacht minor final in Tuam, one that was ultimately decided by a fingertip save from Roscommon goalkeeper Zac Mullally on the last play.
A contest that swung over and back between these old rivals ultimately boiled down to a late free from Evan Burke, awarded after Roscommon delayed a free out of their own.
Linesman John Gilmartin intervened after Burke attempted to steal a few steps, forcing the Galway goalkeeper to retreat to around 55 metres out to take his shot.
That intervention made all the difference as Burke’s free was straight and true, but Mullally pulled the ball down from crossbar height to preserve the one-point lead, and the final whistle sounded before another Galway player touched the ball.
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In the first half, the winners were sublime, laying the foundations for their win. The breeze was significant but there was much more thought and class to the way Roscommon went about their business.
Mikey Mitchell was lively for the Tribesmen and his early effort had to be parried over the cross bar from Colm Fitzgerald, but after that Roscommon took over.
Wing back Enda Browne picked up Man of the Match honours and he was devastating when driving forward, scoring a point of his own and playing a key role in setting up Joshua Coyne’s green flag.
Jayden Concannon slammed in the other goal with a brilliant fist on Jack Brooks’ high ball, while sensational kicks from distance from Jack Lally and Ronan Carr made it a fully deserved 2-8 to 0-5 lead at the turnaround.
Galway got the start to the second half they wanted, landing 0-6 without reply, including doubles from Burke and Connolly.
Browne’s ability to open up the Galway defence continued to be pivotal and he swung the tide when he set up Dara Kelleher for a 20-metre shot that dipped low inside the near post, then assisting a Seamie Carthy score.
Adam Healy threw Galway a lifeline with a goal at the start of the fourth quarter and another brace of doubles from Burke and Connolly teed up the injury-time drama.
ROSCOMMON: Z Mullally; C Tighe, T Fallon, C Fitzgerald; D Kelleher (1-0), J Brooks, E Browne (0-0-1); J Lally (0-1-0), S Carthy (0-0-2); R Carr (0-1-1), J Jennings, B Lenehan (0-0-1); C Nerney, J Concannon (1-0-0), J Coyne (1-0-3, 2f). Subs: D Nerney for Fitzgerald (35), C Cryan for Lenehan (44), J O’Brien for Jennings (49), S Duggan for Concannon (53), D O’Dwyer for Carr (59).
GALWAY: E Burke (0-2-0, 2tpf); M Higgins, E McDonagh, C Collins; O Ó Suilleabháin (0-0-1), E Gannon, J Dillon; O Ó Neachtáin, D Kelly; É Maher, J Cullinane (0-0-1), R Connolly (0-2-0); M Mitchell (0-0-3, 1f), T Mitchell, A Healy (1-0-2, 2f). Subs: A Hanrahan (0-0-2, 1f) for Kelly (h-t), S Heneghan for M Mitchell (48), R Flaherty for T Mitchell (53).
Referee: Shane Corcoran (Mayo).
