Galway and Mayo meet next Sunday in the semi final of the FBD League in Tuam Stadium (1.30pm), in what will be Kevin Walsh's sides first outing of 2019. This year's FBD league is being run in a new knock-out format between the five Connacht counties, with Mayo having beaten Leitrim on penalties last Sunday and Roscommon hosting Sligo in the second semi final next Sunday in Hyde Park (1.30pm).
Galway and Mayo met last year in the round robin stage of the competition, when the Tribesmen won by 1-10 to 1-9 in Castlebar. Galway finished a rain-soaked and wind-lashed encounter with only 12 men after having substitute Damien Comer and defenders Seán Mulkerrins and Seán Andy Ó Ceallaigh sent off in the final quarter. However, with the storm at their backs, Galway managed to keep a makeshift Mayo outfit at bay to win by the minimum.
Mayo manager Stephen Rochford saw his experimental team muster just 1-1 against the gale-force wind and driving rain in the second half, those scores separated by 35 minutes. Peter Naughton had hit the net on only his second senior start four minutes into the second half to push the homeside ahead by 1-8 to 0-6 but that was as good as it got for the home supporters in the crowd of 2,679.
Galway had trailed at half-time by 0-8 to 0-6, but they produced a big third quarter with Galway United star Padraic Cunningham landing a couple of brilliant points. The game turned though on a deflected goal from Patrick Sweeney that levelled the scores (1-8 apiece) on 50 minutes.
Points from Barry McHugh (free) and sub’ Damien Comer then edged the visitors ahead and they managed to keep Mayo at arm’s length in the final 25 minutes despite their numerial disadvantage.
Galway: R Lavelle; E Kerin, Sean A Ó Ceallaigh, S Mulkerrin; C Sweeney, S Kelly, J Duane; P Conroy (0-2), K Duggan; E Brannigan (0-1), P Cooke, S Walsh; B McHugh (0-3, 3fs), P Sweeney (1-1), P Cunningham (0-2).
Subs: D Comer (0-1) for Duggan; C Darcy for Cunningham (inj); G Bradshaw for C Sweeney; J Heaney for Cooke; F Burke for McHugh; D Wynne for P Sweeney.
Mayo: D Clarke; S Duffy, K Keane, J Oates; M Plunkett, M Hall, S Akram; M Ruane, J Gibbons; S Nally (0-2), K McLoughlin (0-3, 1f), A Gallagher; R O’Donoghue, B Reape (0-4, 3fs), P Naughton (1-0).
Subs: D O’Connor for Nally; G McDonagh for Ruane; J Stretton for Akram; F McDonagh for Gallagher.
Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon)
