Narrow defeat for Senior Footballers against Galway

DUBLIN 1-15 

GALWAY 0-20

Dublin’s hopes of preserving their Allianz National Football League Division 1 status were dashed in Pearse Stadium on Sunday afternoon as they succumbed to Galway by two points. 

Dublin impressed in the opening-half with Seán Bugler setting the tone with five points from play while Hugh O’Sullivan’s penalty save from Rob Finnerty saw the visitors lead by 0-12 to 0-7 at half-time. 

The sending-off of Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne proved a turning point midway through the second-half and despite Killian McGinnis netting in the 54th minute, Galway finished strongly to complete a deserved win.   

There was only twelve seconds on the clock when Bugler kicked a superb two-pointer to hand Dublin a perfect start and they doubled their lead by the 3rd minute thanks to further points form Ciaran Kilkenny and Ross McGarry. 

Finnerty opened the home account in the 5th minute and as the contest settled, Bugler continued to impress as he clipped over two points to reflect Dublin’s encouraging beginning. 

Galway kept in touch through frees by Oisín Mac Donnacha and Finnerty and while McGinnis replied for Dublin, Finnerty’s threat was obvious as he curled over his third point of the first quarter. 

A two-pointed free by O’Sullivan in the 21st minute extended the Dublin lead to five points but the goalkeeper’s best efforts could not prevent Mac Donnacha replying in kind three minutes later.  

McGinnis and substitute Seán Ó Maoilchiaráin exchanged points before Dublin looked to open up a healthy buffer approaching the break with Niall O’Callaghan and Bugler on target. 

Galway were handed a gilt-edged opportunity to reduce their deficit in the 35th minute as Niall Scully was adjudged to have fouled Ó Maoilchiaráin but O’Sullivan palmed Finnerty’s resultant penalty to safety. 

A skirmish heading towards the tunnel saw Dublin’s Ó Cofiagh Byrne and Galway’s Dylan McHugh black carded for the start of the second-half as an improvised McGinnis score pushed the visitors six points clear in the 39th minute. 

A series of frustrating wides soon after undermined their ambitions however as the hosts struck back through frees from Finnerty and Mac Donnacha before a Paul Conroy two-pointer left just two points between the teams by the 46th minute. 

A Céin D’Arcy point halved the Galway deficit soon after before Dublin captain Con O’Callaghan made a welcome return to action with a trademark point in the 49th minute. 

Dublin’s cause was not helped by a second booking received by Ó Cofaigh Byrne at the start of the final quarter but they responded immediately to this setback as O’Callaghan released McGinnis for a composed finish past Conor Flaherty. 

However, their numerical disadvantage began to take its toll as Galway began to click through the gears with Finnerty (2), Liam Ó Conghaile and Cian Hernon all pointing to leave the narrowest margin separating the sides by the 61st minute.

Hernon brought the teams level six minutes from time with Finnerty kicking an excellent two-pointer in the 66th minute to ensure Galway’s survival, pushing Dublin through the trapdoor into Division 2 in the process.    

Scorers – Dublin: K McGinnis 1-3; S Bugler 0-5 (1 P2); H O’Sullivan (F2), R McGarry 0-2 each; C Kilkenny, N O’Callaghan, C O’Callaghan 0-1 apiece. Galway: R Finnerty 0-8 (0-2f, 1 P2); O Mac Donnacha 0-4 (0-2f, 1 F2); P Conroy (P2), C Hernon 0-2 each; S Ó Maoilchiaráin, C D’Arcy, D O’Flaherty, L Ó Conghaile 0-1 apiece. 

Dublin: H O’Sullivan; D Byrne, N Doran, E Murchan; A Gavin, C McMorrow, E Kennedy; P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, B Howard; N Scully, S Bugler, R McGarry; P Small, K McGinnis, C Kilkenny. Subs: N O’Callaghan for Small (Temp, 11-70), S MacMahon for Gavin (42), C O’Callaghan for N O’Callaghan (46), L Smith for Byrne (58), J Lundy for McGarry (62), C O’Connor for Kennedy (65). 

Galway: C Flaherty; J McGrath, C Hernon, J Glynn; L Silke, D McHugh, S Kelly; J Maher, M Tierney; S McGrath, K Molloy, C D’Arcy; R Finnerty, O Mac Donnacha, R Roche. Subs: S Ó Maoilchiaráin for Kelly (19), P Conroy for Tierney (29), C Mulhearn for Molloy (32), L Ó Conghaile for Roche (46), D O’Flaherty for S McGrath (52). 

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).