Padráic Joyce's Galway lead from start to finish to edge out Monaghan
Padráic Joyce got his first Allianz League campaign off to a winning start as they edged out Monaghan in front of a crowd of 7,654 at Pearse Stadium.
The Tribesmen never trailed in the match but had to withstand a big Monaghan rally in the closing stages to secure the winning start after a good encounter.
The decisive score of the match was a goal from Galway corner-forward Robert Finnerty but Monaghan were left to rue a missed penalty before the break
Galway led by 1-8 to 0-8 at the break having played with the breeze in the opening half.
The sides were level four times in the opening 14 minutes with Shane Walsh and Finian Ó Laoí hitting early points for the Tribesmen but Conor McManus responded with a brace for Monaghan.
The sides then twice exchanged points before a good passing movement involving Walsh and Michael Boyle was finished to the net by Finnerty to push Galway 1-4 to 0-4 in front after 15 minutes.
The response from Monaghan was good with Kieran Hughes and Conor McCarthy hitting points before the Tribesmen struck for three in a row, two of them from Walsh and one from a mark by Adrian Varley to lead by four eleven minutes from the interval.
Jack McCarron pulled back a point for Monaghan but they had a lucky escape when a fisted pass from Ryan McAnespie almost ended up in the net before Rory Beggan recovered it.
Monaghan went on the offensive and got a chance to level when Dessie Ward was fouled by Walsh but the penalty from McManus was superbly saved by Galway goalkeeper Connor Gleeson.
Beggan landed a ’45 but another good passing movement at the other end was finished when wing-back Gary O’Donnell pointed from the right to lead by 1-8 to 0-8 at the interval.
The crowd of 7,654 saw a quick exchange of points after the restart with Finnerty flashing over from a goal chance for Galway before McManus hit back after being set up by a good run from wing-back Karl O’Connell.
Galway led by five points thanks to efforts from Walsh and Paul Conroy after 43 minutes but Monaghan hit back with five in a row from Kieran Hughes, McManus, Christopher McGuinness, Jack McCarron and Aaron Mulligan to draw level at 1-11 to 0-14 with ten minutes left.
Walsh edged Galway back in front with a free but this was cancelled by one from McManus before Galway full-back Seán Mulkerrin cleared a shot from McGuinness off the line after Damien Comer had fisted them in front.
Matthias Barrett double Galway’s lead to two points but a superb free from McManus cut it to one going into five minutes of injury-time but the Tribesmen held on for victory.
Galway: S Walsh 0-6 (0-5f), R Finnerty 1-1, G O’Donnell 0-1, C D’Arcy 0-1, P Conroy 0-1, A Varley 0-1 (0-1 mark), M Barrett 0-1, F Ó Laoí 0-1, D Comer 0-1.
Monaghan: C McManus 0-6 (0-2f, 0-1 mark), K Hughes 0-2, J McCarron 0-2 (0-1f), R Beggan 0-1 (0-1 ’45), K Duffy 0-1, R McAnespie 0-1, C McCarthy 0-1, A Mulligan 0-1, C McGuinness 0-1.
Galway: C Gleeson; J Heaney, S Mulkerrin, J Duane; G O’Donnell, J Daly, C McDaid; P Conroy (M Barrett 60), C D’Arcy; M Boyle (D Comer 32), F Ó Laoí (E Brannigan 48), M Daly (S Kelly 66); A Varley (L Costello 60), S Walsh, R Finnerty.
Monaghan: R Beggan; K Duffy, R Wylie, C Boyle; D Ward, K O’Connell, M Bannigan (A Mulligan 45); D Hughes, N Kearns; R McAnespie, C McCarthy (S Carey 58), D Malone (C McGuinness 55); K Hughes, J McCarron (A Woods 68), C McManus.
Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois).
