For the 5th year in a row, Galway and Roscommon will meet in the FBD Connacht football league final on Sunday in Tuam Stadium (2pm) after both sides came through their semi finals last weekend against Mayo and Sligo respectively. For new Roscommon manager Anthony Cunningham it will be a chance to land some early season silverware in his first stint as an inter-county football manager, having won the Walsh Cup as Galway hurling manager in what turned out to be his last year in charge in 2015. Galway football manager Kevin Walsh has been in charge for all four FBD finals against Roscommon since 2015, winning 2 and losing 2, including last years one point defeat in Hyde Park.
In all, Kevin Walsh has used 48 different players in the last four finals against the Rossies, with only Johnny Heaney, Gary O’Donnell and Tom Flynn featuring in those 2015-2018 FBD League finals. This number is sure to increase next Sunday, with several new faces added to the Galway squad for 2019.
2015 in Kiltoom: Roscommon 4-8 Galway 1-12
GALWAY: Maghnus Breathnach; Tom Fahy, David Walsh, Cathal Sweeney; Johnny Heaney (0-1), Gareth Bradshaw (0-1), Gary O’Donnell; Fiontain O’Curraoin (0-1), Enda Tierney (1-0); Sean Denvir, Michael Martin (0-3, 2 frees), Shane Walsh (0-2); Eddie Hoare (0-2 frees), Danny Cummins (0-2), Martin Coady. Subs: Thomas Dolan for M Breathnach (42 mins), Keith Kelly for T Fahy (46 mins), Tom Flynn for S Denvir (52 mins), Patrick Sweeney for M Martin (58 mins)
ROSCOMMON: D O’Malley; S McDermott, N Carty, N Collins; R Stack, N Daly, G Cafferkey (1-0); I Kilbride, C Shine (0-1); M Nally, E Smith (1-2), D Smith; D Murtagh (1-3, 0-2 frees), S Kilbride (0-1), C Murtagh (1-1). Subs: C Cregg for M Nally (44 mins), U Harney for D Smith (46 mins), C Daly for I Kilbride (48 mins), B Murtagh for S Kilbride (56 mins), O Milton for C Murtagh (57 mins).
2016 in Pearse Stadium: Galway 2-8 Roscommon 0-13
GALWAY: Thomas Dolan (Athenry); David Wynne (Moycullen), Declan Kyne (Clonbur), Eoghan Kerin (Annaghdown); Liam Silke (Corofin), Gary O’Donnell (Tuam Stars), Johnny Heaney (0-2) (Killannin); Paul Conroy (St James’), Fiontain O Curraoin (Micheal Breathnach); Tom Flynn (0-1) (Athenry), Eddie Hoare (St Michael’s), Enda Tierney (Oughterard); Damien Comer (2-1) (Annaghdown), Adrian Varley (0-3) (Cortoon Shamrocks), Eamon Brannigan (St Michael’s) Subs: Shane Walsh (0-1f) (Kilkerrin-Clonberne) for Hoare 25. Paul Mannion (Kilconly) for Brannigan (59).
ROSCOMMON: Geoffrey Claffey (Castlerea St Kevin’s); Ronan Stack (St Brigid’s), Tom Featherston (Oran), Neil Collins (Castlerea St Kevin’s); Brian Murtagh (St Faithleach’s) Niall Daly (0-1) (Padraig Pearses) Ronan Daly (Padraig Pearses); Enda Smith (Boyle), Cathal Shine (Clann na nGael); Scott Oates (0-1) (Roscommon Gaels), Kieran Kilcline (0-1) (Roscommon Gaels), Ciaran Murtagh (0-4f)(St Faithleach’s); Cian Connolly (0-2f) (Roscommon Gaels), Senan Kilbride (0-2) (St Brigid’s), Cathal McHugh (St Brigid’s) Subs: Sean McDermott (Western Gaels) for Collins (half-time), Niall Kilroy (Fuerty) for Kilcline, Ultan Harney (Clann na nGael) for Oates, Fintan Kelly (Castlerea St Kevin’s) for Shine, Fintan Cregg (Elphin) for Murtagh.
2017 in Kiltoom: Galway 2-14 Roscommon 0-15
GALWAY: Rory Lavelle; Luke Burke, David Walsh, Declan Kyne; Gary O’Donnell, Gareth Bradshaw, Johnny Heaney; Fiontan O’Curraoin, Michael Day; Tom Flynn, Paul Conroy, Cillian McDaid; Danny Cummins, Barry McHugh, Sean Armstrong. Subs: Peter Cooke for O’Curraoin, David Wynne for McDaid, Finian Hanley for Wynne, Paul Varley for Armstrong , Paul Mannion for Day, Cathal Sweeney for Heaney
ROSCOMMON: D O’Malley; N McInerney, T Featherston, S McDermott; R Stack, S Mullooly, J McManus; T Corcoran, T O’Rourke; F Cregg, C Murtagh, S Killoran; C Connolly, U Harney, D Smith. Subs: E Smith for Cregg, D Murray for McManus, C Devaney for Killoran , K Higgins for Corcoran, N Kilroy for Connolly, N Daly for D Smith.
2018 in Hyde Park: Roscommon 2-16 Galway 3-12
GALWAY: Ronan Ó’ Beoláin; Evan Wynne, Seán Mulkerrin, David Wynne; Gary Ó’Donnell (C), Johnny Duane, Johnny Heaney (0-1); Ciarán Duggan, Rob Finnerty (0-1f); Eoin Finnerty (0-1), Barry McHugh (0-4,2fs), Tomas Flynn (0-1); Padraic Cunningham (0-1), Seán Armstrong (0-2), Frankie Burke (2-0) SUBS: Dessie Conneely (1-0), Adrian Varley (0-1), Cein Darcy, Gareth Bradshaw.
ROSCOMMON: James Featherston; Peter Domican, Tadgh McKenna, Seán McDermott; Philip Neilan, Ross Timothy (0-1), Ronan Daly; Conor Daly, Enda Smith (1-1); Fintan Cregg, Niall Kilroy, Henry Walsh; Donie Smith (0-3,1f), Ciaráin Murtagh (C) (0-4,2f), Cathal Cregg (1-4) SUBS: Cathal Compton, Conor Devaney, Niall Daly (0-1), Lennon, Diarmuid Murtagh (0-2, 1f), Ultan Harney.
