Galway 1-7

Mayo 0-9

Thomas Gleeson scored 1-2 in the first half as Galway withstood a late Mayo comeback to be crowned Connacht junior football champions at a rain-lashed Pearse Stadium.

The Tribesmen took a 1-3 to 0-2 lead into the break and added three more points without reply in the third quarter before Mayo suddenly came to life. But they left themselves with too much to do as the hosts held on for the win.

Galway led by 1-2 to 0-0 before Darragh Keavney finally opened Mayo's account in the 24th minute. Liam Moran added a second point for the visitors, but Galway were full value for their four-point interval lead which they extended to seven after the restart.

Galway’s Michael Day lifts the Connacht JFC trophy. ©INPHO/Tommy Dickson.

But Mayo refused to give up the ghost and stormed back with points from Brendan Carr, Ronan Conlon and Padraig Prendergast (two). Enda Tierney broke their scoring sequence with five minutes remaining and that point proved crucial as Mayo grabbed three more points per Adrian Leonard and Justin Healy (two) to leave the minimum between the sides at the final whistle.

Galway - C Haslam; E O'Sullivan, D O Ruairc, T Rabbitte; D Morrin (0-1), A Ward, P O'Donnell (0-1); M Day (0-1), C Brennan (0-1); C Brady, S Denvir, T Gleeson (1-2); P O Curraoin, J Ryan, E Tierney (0-1f). Subs: A Molloy for C Brady, C Rabbitte for T Gleeson, M O Goill for J Ryan, G Gibbons for S Denvir, S O Curraoin for D Morrin.

Mayo - M Schlingermann; R Conlon (0-1), D Lydon, B Leonard; B Duffy, C Burke, C Igoe; S Walsh, T Fahey; L Moran (0-1), A Leonard (0-1), B Carr (0-1f); M McGarry, K Hopkins, D Keavney (0-1). Subs: M Forkan for B Leonard, P Prendergast (0-2, 1f) for L Moran, C Boylan for M McGarry, S Lally for R Conlon, J Healy (0-2) for D Keavney.

Referee - B Healy.

 

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