Galway are Connacht U-21 football champions after an extra time win over Roscommon in Hyde Park this evening, it was close contested game all through but towards the end of normal time Roscommon lead by three points only for Shane Walsh to hit three points in as many minutes to put the game into extra time. The game started with both sides scoring early goals first Cathal Mulryan had the ball in the Roscommon net inside the first minute but a minute later Donie Smith repeated the dose at the other end. Galway went on to score six points in the half two each from Shane Walsh and Ian Burke and one each from Adrian Varley and Sean Moran. Finbar Cregg scored Roscommon’s second with ten minutes to break to give them a point lead at half time 2-4 to 1-6.
The second half saw the visitors open the scoring when Burke after one minute but Roscommon then went on to three unanswered points to lead by 2-7 to 1-7 mid way through the half, in the closing five minutes Galway outscored the home side four points to one to send the game to extra time on a score line of 1-11 to 2-8. In first period of extra time Galway shot three points from Walsh, Burke and sub Garry Kelly to Roscommon’s one, to lead by 1-14 to 2-9 at the break. Roscommon scored first after the break but points from Burke, Walsh and Shane Maughan edged Galway into the All-Ireland semi-final against Kildare on a final score of 1-17 to 2-11.
Ian Burke was presented with the ‘Cadbury’s Player of the Match’ award and Frank Burke President of the Connacht Council presented the cup to the Galway captain Fiontan O’Curraoin
The Moycullen lads both played a big role in the victory with Eoin Walsh starting on Roscommon danger man Donie Smith, and Phillip Ezergailis being introduced with 20mintues to go.
Subs used including extra time: Tom Flynn for Silke, Conor Rabbitte for Maughan,.Padraic Cunningham for Moran,Philip Ezergailis for Canavan, Gary Kelly for Comer. Comer for Mulryan, Maughan for Varley, Heskin for Cunningham.
Scorers; Shane Walsh 0-7,Ian Burke 0-6, Cathal Mulryan 1-0, Sean Moran 0-1Adrian Varley 0-1, Gary Kelly 0-1 Shane Maughan 0-1.
