Galway not gone away

GAA: ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE: Galway 1-20 Armagh 0-18RANK OUTSIDERS Galway suddenly find themselves clinging to a Division One lifeline following yesterday's stunning victory at the Athletic Grounds which has paved the way for their must-win showdown with league finalists Dublin on Sunday next.

And Armagh, who had been expected to add to Galway’s league woes, now find themselves confronted by an intimidating mission against Cork next weekend where nothing less than victory will sustain their hopes of remaining in the top bracket.

Yesterday Galway’s spirit, cohesion and hunger allied to the subtle experience of Pádraic Joyce and the towering input of Gary Sice, Joe Bergin and Paul Conroy provided the platform for an unexpected coup.

Armagh swept into a four-point lead in the opening seven minutes, with Steven McDonnell helped himself to a brace of early scores and Kevin Dyas and Malachy Mackin also on target.

Galway suddenly shed their inhibitions and within three minutes were back on level terms, Finian Hanley drilling over a long-rage point before Cormac Bane swept home a penalty after goalkeeper Philip McEvoy fouled Joyce.

Wing back Gary O’Donnell fired the westerners into a 1-3 to 0-4 lead as Armagh were forced to retreat as Bergin and Finian Hanley tightened their midfield grip and the wily Joyce held the ball up intelligently, while Sice was inspirational in defence and attack.

A brace of points from the lively Bane and another from a free by the accurate Joyce served to highlight deficiencies in the home defence before McDonnell and Clarke reduced the deficit with scores in the 27th and 30th minutes.

But it was Galway who again seized the initiative when the marauding Sice, Concannon and Joyce whipped over points to leave the visitors ahead by 1-9 to 0-7 at the break.

And although substitute Micheal O’Rourke, McDonnell and Mackin posted points on the resumption, Armagh’s vulnerability at the back was underlined when full forward Paul Conroy pilfered three long-range points from play to complement a further Joyce score that took Galway into a 1-14 to 0-13 lead.

But it was in the last 10 minutes that Galway really turned up the heat. In a frenetic spell of expansive attacking football, they hit five points without response before a late brace from McDonnell brought a semblance of respectability to the final scoreline from Armagh’s perspective.

ARMAGH: P McEvoy; A Mallon, B Donaghy, F Moriarty; K Dyas (0-1), C McKeever, P Duffy; K Toner, M Mackin (0-3); C Vernon, C Watters, G Swift; J Clarke (0-3), S McDonnell (0-9, 0-3 frees), J Murtagh. Subs: M O'Rourke (0-2) for Murtagh, P Hearty for McEvoy (both half-time), A Kernan for Swift (41 mins), J Lavery for Duffy (58 mins), T Kernan for Watters (62 mins).

GALWAY: A Flaherty; A Burke, C Forde, J Duane; G O'Donnell (0-1), G Higgins, G Sice (0-3); J Bergin (0-1), F Hanley (0-1); P Joyce (0-4, 0-1 free), O Concannon (0-1), C Kenny; F Breathnach, P Conroy (0-4), C Bane (1-5, 1-0 pen). Subs: G Bradshaw for Kenny (44 mins), K Brady for Sice (72 mins).

Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).