Galway flashes help light up Pearse gloom

Connacht SFC Quarter-final: Galway 0-12 Roscommon 0-8  If you play football within a stone's throw of the Atlantic, there will be wind. That was the main lesson in Pearse Stadium, Galway's expensively revamped football ground, which may also be the premier kite-flying venue in Europe.

This was a poor game and told us little we did not already know. At this time of year, Galway glimmer with potential and have perhaps the strongest bench in the country. Roscommon have the fundamentals of a team that can live with the elite but appear to have neither the guile nor the depth to pull of the major coup they so desire.

This could not have been the way Roscommon envisaged the day materialising and four points represents an agonising margin of defeat for them to ponder. A mistake here, a stray pass there and it might have been closer. And yet at times the gap between the counties seemed accurately assessed more in terms of years than mere points.

Both counties managed three points during their 35-minute trial against a strong, spoiling if undeniably life-affirming breeze. Down 0-9 to 0-3 at the break, Roscommon simply couldn't catch up. Galway didn't have to do much during a disappointing, aimless second half that offered little other than the promise of an ending.

For better or worse, Galway will be installed raging favourites to retain their Connacht championship. Roscommon have no choice but to throw dice in the qualifying rounds and pray they do not instantly encounter some of the meatier teams already at the table.

Things are coming together nicely for Galway, a blending of new and old. In little over half a game, Ja Fallon demonstrated that he has much to offer the maroon cause. Gone - or at least not yet returned - is the pale, explosive figure of four years ago. But lean and smart and bursting with eagerness, Fallon was at the heart of many small moments of consequence here. He read the frantic pattern of this game like the wise old head he has become.

A loud cheer greeted the cameo appearance of Michael Donnellan, who stepped in while Ciaran Fitzgerald had some blood wiped away and tantalised the home crowd with a searing dash down the heart of the field. They will have to do with that tease until later on in the season.

And as the veterans made their case, Galway's new wave must have delighted John O'Mahony. Matthew Meehan looked as complete on his championship debut as his league form suggested, with a beautiful, left-foot kick on 20 minutes his most memorable offering. In what could have been a massive sequence, Michael Comer smothered Frankie Dolan as Roscommon spied half a goal chance in the last five minutes. Both the Clancys were on fine form, with Paul, in particular, landing handsome points whenever his team appeared to need it.

It was as well, because one of the successes of Roscommon's day lay in their handling of Joyce. The backs simply doubled and tripled Joyce - who was shadowed throughout by David Casey, a defender of growing reputation - whenever he came deep to win possession, forcing him to lay off. He dispatched his frees reasonably well but was not the precocious influence Galway's game has centred round in modern times. But it suited Joyce fine; he laid the ball off for the Clancys or Joe Bergin to hare onto.

Elsewhere, Roscommon's success was more qualified. Seamus O'Neill began brightly on Kevin Walsh but by the mid-point of the game, the older player had regained a psychological edge. Galway's adventurous half-back line essentially ripped the Ros trio asunder as they dashed upfield. The result was that when Roscommon attempted to build from deep, a great prairie lay between them and the lonely danger trio stranded in front of the Galway goal.

If there was a critical point in this match, it came in the 49th minute. Both counties indulged in a five-minute period of ping-pong that was as tiring to watch as it must have been to execute.

Roscommon trailed 0-9 to 0-5 and a score at this point would have asked questions of Galway for the first time. Instead, Fallon swung a high ball in, Derek Savage broke it down and, loitering, perfectly alone, was Sean De Paor. He picked up his customary point and a sense of resignation fell over the place.

Galway embarked on raids that resulted in wides when goals appeared more likely; Roscommon huffed and puffed but could not get within four.

With Nigel Dineen short of match practice, Jonathan Dunning did well to pick up the slack but it was a fruitless day for the forward unit as a whole. Tom Carr must have banked on a higher return from Frankie Dolan, who, in fairness, saw little ball over the afternoon.

It was notable - and no accident - that Roscommon finished with only a single score from a free. Closed down by the breeze in the first half, the Galway backs forced their opponents to earn every score. Hence, Francie Grehan managed a successful pot-shot from distance but others tailed terribly wide. All of their scores were hard earned.

Galway, craftier and knowing, picked up a cheap score here and there. Shane Curran was whistled for arguing with John Bannon over a kick-out. The result was a tap-over. The home team gave away no such gifts.

This was a game that will be quickly forgotten and if these teams do not have to meet each other for some time, neither will complain.

GALWAY: A Keane, M Comer, G Fahey, K Fitzgerald; D Meehan, R Fahey, S De Paor (0-1); K Walsh (0-1), J Bergin; P Clancy (0-2), M Clancy, D O'Brien; D Savage, P Joyce (0-4, frees), M Meehan (0-4, 2 frees, one 45). Subs: J Fallon for D O'Brien (28 mins), M Donnellan for M Clancy (69 mins).

ROSCOMMON: S Curran; P Noone, D Casey, B Higgins; M Beirne, F Grehan (0-1), J Nolan; S O'Neill (0-1), S Lohan (0-1); R Cox, G Cox, J Dunning (0-3); N Dineen (0-1, free), G Lohan, F Dolan (0-1). Subs: J Tiernan for R Cox (50 mins), K Mannion for N Dineen (53 mins), E Towey for B Higgins (55 mins).

Referee: J Bannon (Longford). GALWAY ROSCOMMON