This Sunday will mark the 86th meeting in the Connacht SFC of old rivals Galway and Mayo, with Mayo leading the head to head record 40-39, with 6 draws. At Pearse Stadium in Salthill, Mayo have held the upper hand in recent years by winning in 2009, 2013 and 2015 while Galway's last win over their old rivals came in 2007 in a Connacht Championship preliminary round tie.
On that May afternoon, Peter Forde's Galway easily defeated a Mayo side managed again by John O'Mahony by 2-10 to 0-9, with Cormac Bane from Caherlistrane getting both goals for the home side. It was a desperately poor performance from Mayo, who managed just 0-2 from play in the entire game and were reduced to 14 men just ten minutes into the second half when Pat Harte saw red for a reckless challenge on Michael Meehan. Bane's first goal came after just 90 seconds of play as Mayo bizarrely played into the strong wind after winning the toss, and his second on 20 minutes following a pass from Michael Meehan, helped Galway to a 2-5 to 0-5 interval lead.
On the resumption Mayo did have a great chance of a goal to spark life into their challenge but Conor Mortimer's shot came back off the woodwork. It would be the 5th championship game in a row that Mayo would fail to raise a green flag against Galway, who actually outscored their opponents 0-5 to 0-4 into the wind in the second half. The winners were best served by Man of the Match Cormac Bane and Nicky Joyce in attack, the brilliant Damien Burke (pictured below between Billy Joe Padden and Ger Brady) at corner back, Finian Hanley, Joe Bergin and Michael Comer.
Mayo did beat Cavan in their first qualifier game but were knocked out of the All Ireland race when they lost away to Derry. Galway beat Leitrim in the Connacht semi final but suffered a shock 1 point defeat to Sligo in the Connacht final before bowing out of the championship in round 3 of the qualifiers when losing to Meath in Portlaoise.
Galway: 1. Paul Doherty, 2. Kieran Fitzgerald, 3. Finian Hanley, 4. Damien Burke, 5. Declan Meehan, 6. Niall Coyne, 7. Michael Comer, 8. Joe Bergin, 9. Niall Coleman (0-1), 10. Ja Fallon (0-1), 11. Michael Meehan (0-1 f), 12. Nicky Joyce (0-3, 1 f), 13. Derek Savage (0-2), 14. Padraig Joyce (0-1 f), 15. Cormac Bane (2-1). Subs: Diarmuid Blake for Coyne (13 mins), Gary Sice for Hanley (66 mins), Barry Cullinane for Fallon (70 mins), Matthew Clancy for Bane (71 mins), Fiachra Breathnach for Savage (72 mins)
