“We had our back to the wall there for a long time. We got 14 scores on the board, it was enough to win this game but it won’t be enough to win next week. We know that but we will take the win and now turn our attention to the quarter-finals,” he said.
Monaghan won the toss and opted to play against the wind and rain in the opening half, and after packing out their defence they were in a strong position for victory when they went in trailing by just 0-6 to 0-5 at the interval.
It took Galway almost 13 minutes to get their first score, a point from a free on the left wing from Shane Walsh which tied the scores after Jack McCarron got Monaghan off the mark with a fifth-minute free.
Paul Conroy edged the Tribesmen in front with a fine effort from distance after 16 minutes but they struggled to break down Monaghan’s packed rearguard with the visitors often having all 15 men inside their own half when Galway were in possession.
And with Monaghan, who started Joel Wilson instead of Conor McManus, superb on the counter-attack they picked off the next three scores with Micheal Bannigan levelling with a free before they opened up a 0-4 to 0-2 lead after 26 minutes with efforts from Gary Mohan and Stephen O’Hanlon.
Galway’s plight deepened when Walsh limped off but after Matthew Tierney and Bannigan exchanged points, the Tribesmen finished the half strongly with points from Rob Finnerty, Tierney and Conroy to lead by the minimum at the break.
McCarron levelled the sides for the fourth time after 40 minutes after a sustained period of possession by Galway failed to yield even a shot at goal.
Galway drafted in Damien Comer to a big cheer in the home following of 6,768 but it was veteran Conroy who edged them in front with his third point of the game after 43 minutes.
Finnerty and McCarron exchanged pointed frees as Monaghan brought in McManus to their attack, before Conor McCarthy went forward and landed a superb point from the left to tie the sides again after 50 minutes.
Finnerty and John Maher pushed Galway two clear before they enjoyed a huge let-off when Michael Hamill and McCarthy set up Barry McBennett but he blasted the ball off the crossbar from close range.
Galway cleared their lines and two more frees from Finnerty pushed them four clear with 12 minutes remaining.
Comer’s first touch of the ball, nine minutes after coming on, saw him kick a fine pooint to make it 0-13 to 0-8 as the game slipped away from Monaghan and Galway started to turn their attention to next weekend’s All-Ireland quarter-final as Sean Kelly and Finnerty were called ashore.
Two late frees from McManus ensured a nervous final play for Galway but they were never threatened and their 2024 season came to an end with McManus being applauded off the field by both sets of supporters in what looks like his final appearance for the county.
Scorers – Galway: R Finnerty 0-5 (0-3f), P Conroy 0-3, M Tierney 0-2f, S Walsh 0-1f, J Maher 0-1, D Comer 0-1, L O’Conghaile 0-1. Monaghan: J McCarron 0-3 (0-2f), S O’Hanlon 0-2, M Bannigan 0-2 (0-1f) C McManus 0-2f, G Mohan 0-1, C McCarthy 0-1.
Galway: C Gleeson; J Glynn, S Fitzgerald, S Mulkerrin; J McGrath, L Silke, D McHugh; P Conroy, M Tierney; C Darcy, S Kelly, C McDaid; R Finnerty, S Walsh, J Maher.Subs: L Ó’Conghaile for Walsh (26), D Comer for Darcy (41), J Heaney for McDaid (65), C Hernon for Kelly (68), D Ó’Flaherty for Finnerty (70).
Monaghan: R Beggan; K Lavelle, R O’Toole, R Wylie; J Irwin, R McAnespie, C McCarthy; G Mohan, J Wilson; M Hamill, M Bannigan, B McBennett; A Woods, J McCarron, S O’Hanlon. Subs: T McPhillips for McAnespie (28), C McManus for Mohan (45), M McCarville for Wilson (53), C McNulty for McCarron (58), S Jones for Hamill (68).
Referee: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary).
