Galway lead Mayo at half-time
Galway 1-07, Mayo 0-05 (half-time)
Pearse Stadium sees Galway with a five-point advantage at the break, thanks to a 36th minute goal from Matthew Clancy, allowed through one-on-one as full-back Aidan Higgins misjudged the flight of a through ball.
Backed by a sizeable Salthill breeze, Galway held a foothold early on, leading 0-2 to 0-0 by the second minute. John Maughan's Mayo had levelled matters for a second and third time on 12 and 19 minutes, as the twentieth minute past with the score at 0-4 apiece.
Sean Og De Paor and Declan Sweeney swapped points, before Stephen Carolan drove a penalty, awarded for foul on Conor Mortimer, high and wide with seven minutes left in the period.
Inside the first 10 minutes, there was disruption to both sides as Galway half-forward Paul Clancy and Mayo captain Fergal Costello clashed heads.
Clancy came back on the field for substitute Michael Meehan, but he was sidelined again on 17 minutes, deemed to be suffering from concussion. Costello was brought to a local hospital.
There were also mind games early on, with 17 players lining up in the Galway side for the parade and Michael Donnellan, named in the 15 on Thursday, omitted from the halfback line, but introduced before the break for the ineffective Ja Fallon, and moved to left-half forward.
