Galway off the mark with win over Cavan in feisty encounter
Shane Walsh scored four points for Galway as last year’s league finalists got off to a winning start in a game blighted by five second-half sin-binnings at Pearse Stadium.
Galway had Cillian McDaid and Peter Cooke black carded, while Cavan played without Killian Clarke, Martin Reilly and Killian Brady for a spell with all three in the sin bin during a key stretch in the second period.
Three points from Padraig Cunningham proved crucial for the Tribesmen, who held Cavan scoreless for 22 minutes in the second half and kept them to four points from play.
Before the start, Galway manager Kevin Walsh made five alterations to the team that was named, with the return of Corofin duo Ian Burke and Liam Silke a real boost for his side.
But it was another one of the changes that started the scoring when former Galway United striker Padraig Cunningham pointed on the turn following a good delivery from Gary O’Donnell.
But by and large it was Cavan that shone brightest in the opening quarter and some of their point taking was impressive. A foul on Conor Madden allowed Pierce Smith to level the scores, but Madden’s point that followed from the right corner off his right foot was a sweet score to give Cavan the lead.
Cavan goalkeeper Raymond Galligan ran forward to score a free for his side in the tenth minute, but he had another two chances before half-time, both of which he put wide, as Cavan’s interval tally of five wides and another five dropped short meant the scoreboard didn’t reflect their dominance.
After Shane Walsh missed a simple free, a good Peter Cooke score on the run brought Galway to within a point of their visitors, but a Martin Reilly free and a lovely Jack Brady score following two long kick passes put them 0-5 to 0-2 in front after 23 minutes.
But as Cavan missed their chances, Galway started to take theirs. Walsh landed a free off the ground, before substitute Gareth Bradshaw bagged his first after 27 minutes.
Galway should have taken the lead on the half-hour mark, but Johnny Heaney’s shot lacked accuracy and Galligan turned it over the bar, which left it 0-5 each at the interval.
It only took ten seconds for Cavan to add to their tally when they broke quickly off the throw in and Reilly scored, but Galway worked hard at the other end and a link between Walsh and Burke put Cunningham in on goal but his shot was tipped over smartly by Raymond Galligan.
The loss of Cillian McDaid to the sin bin for a hand trip on Thomas Galligan after 38 minutes left Galway down to 14 players for ten minutes and Cavan soon retook the lead when Pierce Smith landed a free, but Walsh hit back for the home side to make it 0-7 each.
Despite being a man down Galway took the lead for the first time since the opening minutes when Walsh landed a long-range free, only to see Brady curl over a love score straight from a sideline kick.
Galway were fortunate to not have Ciaran Duggan sent off for a high tackle after 47 minutes, and three minutes later Reilly was sin binned when he pulled down Johnny Heaney. In a crazy five minutes both Killian Brady of Cavan and Cooke were both sin binned, and Cavan were reduced to 12 players when Killian Clarke delivered a late hit on Walsh in the build up to a score for Ian Burke.
Before Reilly returned Heaney found himself unmarked to give Galway a 0-12 to 0-8 lead with nine minutes remaining, and after Walsh kicked his fourth free Cavan rallied with the last three scores, but Galway held on to take the win.
: S Walsh 0-4 (0-4f), J Heaney 0-3, P Cunningham 0-2, P Cooke 0-1, G Bradshaw 0-1, G O’Donnell 0-1, I Burke 0-1
M Reilly 0-3 (0-2f), P Smith 0-2 (0-2f), J Brady 0-2 (0-1sl), C Madden 0-2 (0-1f), R Galligan 0-1 (0-1f), C Mackey 0-1.
R Lavelle; D Wynne (G Bradshaw 20), S A Ó Ceallaigh, E Kerin; G O’Donnell, L Silke, S Kelly; C Duggan, T Flynn Cein D’Arcy for Flynn (70); C McDaid, P Cooke, J Heaney; P Cunningham (D Cummins 65), I Burke (J Duane 72), S Walsh.
R Galligan; J McLoughlin, K Clarke, P Faulkner (L Fortune 66); M Reilly, B Fortune (K Brady 35), C Rehill; T Galligan (C Mackey 65), M Argue (K Tierney 57); P Smith (P Graham 61), J Brady, N Murray; C Brady, D McVeety, C Madden.
Derek O’Mahoney (Tipperary).
