The Galway footballers got back to winning ways in the National Football League in Inniskeen yesterday when they overcame Monaghan 1-9 to 0-11. The home side took a 0-3 to 0-0 lead with Galway, despite having the wind advantage, not scoring until the 20th minute when Johnny Duane opened his side's account. Galway did raise their game towards the end of the first half with Shane Walsh scoring three points in the closing stages of the first half to leave Monaghan 0-5 to 0-4 ahead at the turnaround.
As is their style under Kevin Walsh, Galway made a strong start to the second half and, despite playing into a strong wind, outscored the home side by 0-4 to 0-1 in the first 15 minutes of the half. Newcomer Antoine O'Laoi, Padraic Cunningham and two Shane Walsh free's gave the Tribesmen a 2 point lead and when the unmarked Danny Cummins passed to Johnny Heaney to hit the Monaghan net in the 58th minute, Galway led 1-9 to 0-7 and looked in control. Monaghan fought back in those final minutes with four unanswered points, but Galway had done just about enough and a brilliant late mark from a
After the game Kevin Dwyer spoke with Galway manager Kevin Walsh..
GALWAY: R Lavelle; E Kerin, S Kelly, D Wynne; G O’Donnell, G Bradshaw, J Daly; T Flynn, K Duggan; J Heaney 1-0, J Duane 0-1, P Cooke; A O Laoi 0-1, P Cunningham 0-1, S Walsh 0-5, 3f. Subs: D Cummins for Cunningham; M Daly 0-1 for Cooke; B McHugh for Duane; C D’Arcy for O Laoi.
MONAGHAN: R Beggan 0-2, 1f, 1 45; K Duffy, D Wylie, R Wylie; V Corey 0-1, B Kerr, C Walshe; D Hughes 0-2, F Kelly; R McAnespie, J McCarron 0-2, 2f, S Carey; D Malone, D Ward, C McManus 0-4, 3f. Subs: N McAdam for Kelly; C McCarthy for McCarron; D Mone for McAdam; O Duffy for McAnespie; D Garland for K Duffy.
