A case of wrong time, wrong place, wrong opponent for Westmeath midfielder Ray Connellan, whose cross-field pass – intended for Charlie Drumm – was intercepted by Shane Walsh in the 67th minute of this game of chess at Mullingar.
In an instant, with this Group 1 clash delicately poised at 0-10 apiece, Walsh was granted an open laneway to the Westmeath goal.
The 2022 All-Star didn’t need a second invitation, racing ahead of the exposed Westmeath defence before burying a handsome high shot past goalkeeper Jason Daly.
In a game of inches, this one stray pass was the game-breaker. Westmeath had more than proved a match for the Connacht champions, and were even harbouring ambitions of a victory to ignite their round-robin campaign.
By contrast, here was clear evidence that a Galway attack without injured inside duo Damien Comer and Rob Finnerty aren’t half the team they can be, namely dark horse contenders for Sam.
Meanwhile, for losing boss Dessie Dolan – and even more so Connellan – this must feel like a particularly cruel episode of Groundhog Day.
In last year’s corresponding fixture, Westmeath led by 0-7 to 0-6 at half-time, were still level approaching beyond 50 minutes and were only overwhelmed following the double-yellow dismissal of Connellan.
Here, with Connellan playing a prominent midfield role for the hosts, there were plenty of first-half hints of history repeating itself. When the half-time whistle blew, Westmeath were still daring to dream, their side leading by 0-8 to 0-7.
Galway started with the wind and scored first, via a pinpoint ‘45’ from their Connacht final hero, goalkeeper Connor Gleeson. Westmeath responded impressively, with scores from Sam McCartan and Robbie Forde (happy to fist over at the expense of a possible goal chance) but were then reduced to 14 men, Ronan O’Toole black-carded for pulling down Cillian McDaid.
Westmeath were happy to run down the clock for the next ten minutes, and Galway didn’t exactly look too clever at making their numerical advantage count.
However, they had edged a point ahead (via Cein Darcy and a Shane Walsh free) before O’Toole returned.
Westmeath defended manfully throughout the opening period, confining Galway to a few flickers of individual brilliance from Walsh.
They were back level in the 31st minute, courtesy of a fine Connellan point. And even though Cillian McDaid, operating in an unusual inside role, responded straight after, the midlanders then finished the half with a flourish.
The blinding pace of Ronan Wallace threatened to unhinge the left flank of the Galway defence; he was pushed over with a potential goal chance beckoning. John Heslin tapped over the resultant free, and then another Wallace sortie into enemy terrain ended with a point on the cusp of half-time.
On the restart, another Heslin free doubled their lead in the 39th minute … but they wouldn’t score again for 24 minutes.
Not that Galway took rapid-fire advantage: Gleeson had squandered two placed ball attempts before belatedly landing his second point, from another ‘45’ in the 51st minute.
Walsh equalised from a free four minutes later, then Matthew Tierney edged them back in front before another incisive burst from Wallace landed his second point for the hosts.
But with the game on a knife-edge, that killer turnover provided decisive. Heslin replied with his fifth free, but Westmeath had now run out of ideas, allowing Tierney and temporary sub Kieran Molloy to complete the scoring.
SCORERS – Galway: S Walsh 1-4 (0-3f), C Gleeson (2 ’45s’), M Tierney 0-2 each, C Darcy, C Hernon, C McDaid, K Molloy 0-1 each. Westmeath: J Heslin 0-5f, R Wallace 0-2, S McCartan, R Forde, D Lynch, R Connellan 0-1 each.
GALWAY – C Gleeson; J Glynn, S Fitzgerald, J McGrath; D McHugh, L Silke, J Daly; P Conroy, J Maher; J Heaney, C Hernon, C Darcy; M Tierney, C McDaid, S Walsh.
Subs: D O’Flaherty for Hernon (45), S Mulkerrin for Daly (45), T Culhane for McDaid (52), C Sweeney for Heaney (55), L Ó Conghaile for Maher (65), K Molloy for Mulkerrin (temp 70).
WESTMEATH – J Daly; K Maguire, C Drumm, J Gonoud; R Wallace, D Lynch, J Dolan; R Connellan, A McCormack; S McCartan, R O’Toole J Lynam; S Baker, J Heslin, R Forde.
Subs: L Loughlin for Forde (52), S Smith for Baker (55), S Allen for Gonoud (56), K Martin for Lynam (69), D Scahill for Dolan (temp 70).
REF – N Cullen (Fermanagh)
