Achi news desk-
Gleeson had some uncertain moments all afternoon as well, but when faced with a spot-kick in the sixth minute of injury time, he held his nerve impressively to guide between the posts and sink a Mayo side who looked set to reclaim the title at the end of normal time when Tommy Conroy fired wide them by two points, 0-15 to 0-13.
But Galway continued to press and hunt and were awarded two Rob Finnerty frees from close range for fouls on substitutes John Maher and Daniel O’Flaherty before Gleeson’s conversion. Cillian O’Connor had a chance to equalize after the one in the box.
Galway players Cillian McDaid, left, and Sean Kelly with the trophy after their team’s win in the Connacht SFC final against Mayo at Pearce Stadium in Galway. Photo: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Mayo could raise issues with referee David Gough’s awarding of Gleeson’s free when Conor Loftus was surrounded by aggressive press from Paul Conroy and Matthew Tierney after taking a kick out from Colm Rip. But Gaff was determined and Gleeson stepped up to convert his second and all-important free in a game mired in errors.
But that will not worry Galway, for whom Damian Comer was the leading light when Mayo were unable to suppress his power and movement.
David McBrien was tasked with tracking Comer, but in this form he is irreplaceable, and with Rob Finnerty also in flying form, contributing eight points from play and frees, Galway had a slight attacking edge.
For Joyce, the 2022 quarter-final at Castlebar has been his only win in nine attempts through the Connacht league, league and championship so far, so it redresses the balance a bit and for good measure it’s a first Connacht final victory over their neighbors in three attempts under his management.
It also completes the county’s first consecutive treble in Connacht for 40 years and puts them in a group that will include Ulster final losers Derry and Westmeath.
Joyce made two pre-match changes from the squad announced earlier this week, replacing Maher and Shane Walsh with Kieran Molloy and Cathal Sweeney. But in the 33rd minute those changes were reversed, a clear admission that they hadn’t worked. Maher and Walsh both made a strong impact in the second half.
Mayo’s Jordan Flynn in action against Galway’s John Daly during the Connacht SFC Final at Pearce Stadium in Galway. Photo: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
Galway also struggled to get their captain, Sean Kelly, into the game from center forward and Mayo had a decisive advantage in the first half.
However, Comer was the clear threat to Mayo’s comfort and underlined as early as the sixth minute when he took on his marker David McBrien, cut across the finish line and hit the goal under enough pressure to win a free.
It was one of three frees Comer took for Rob Finnerty to convert in the first half, while he also added a point from play and paid off a great save from Colm Rip in the 14th minute after he had McBrien running into a fine ball that was deflected. to his path by Finnerty.
But Mayo were largely in control during the half, even with a strengthening wind blowing against them.
They simply had more energy at that time, and their management sensed it too, repeatedly urging them to run at the Galway defence.
When they did, gaps appeared, with Jack Carney running hard from midfield to create several chances.
A 0-7 to 0-5 lead looked exactly where Mayo should be, but within minutes of the restart Galway were in front, 0-8 to 0-7.
It could have been more, but for some good scrambling defending from Rory Brickenden and Colm Rip to deny Maher a goal after Comer put him in on 39 minutes with an incisive move.
Mayo hit the front again through Jordan Flynn, Matthew Rowan after Gleeson was caught offside in possession and O’Donoghue from 45 yards on a loop.
But Galway did not go away and were level again, 0-11 apiece on 61 minutes, before taking a 0-13 to 0-12 lead through a Walsh point three minutes later.
Mayo settled and Conroy was centrally involved in the next three points, winning frees to O’Donoghue before landing the next two himself.
It looked like they could manage it from there, but Galway found a way with that impressive late surge.
Scorers – Galway: R Finerty 0-8 (5fs), S Walsh 0-3 (1fs), C Gleeson (2fs), D Comer 0-2 each, J Heaney 0-1. Mayo: R O’Donoghue 0-6 (4fs, 1m), M Ruane 0-3, T Conroy 0-2, J Flynn, F Boland, C O’Connor, D McHugh all 0-1 each
Galway: C Gleason; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, J Daly, L Silke; P Conroy, C Darcy; J Heaney, S Kelly, K Molloy; R Finerty, D Comer, C Sweeney. Mishna: J Maher for Molloy (21), S Walsh for Sweeney (33), M Tierney for Heaney (52), S Mulkerrin for Fitzgerald (65), D O’Flaherty for Daly (71).
Mayo: C Reape; J Coyne, D McBrien, R Brickenden; E McLaughlin, D McHugh, S Callinan; J Carney, M Ruane; S Cohen, F Bolan, J Flynn; T Conroy, A O’Shea, R O’Donoghue. Mishna: D O’Connor for Boland (45), C O’Connor for O’Shea (54), E Hession for Flynn (58), C Loftus for Coyne (65), B Tuohy for Carney (72).
judge: D Gough (Meath).
