On Sunday February 4, Davy Burke’s Roscommon team welcomed Connacht rivals Galway to Dr Hyde Park. Going into the game, Galway had suffered a defeat to their arch rivals Mayo in Salthill as Roscommon came away from Omagh with a narrow defeat to a youthful Tyrone side.
There was a lot of questions asked of Padraic Joyce and his Galway charges after the disappointing loss to Mayo. Many felt the team as a whole produced a lesser performance as Mayo were comfortable throughout the game.
Before the game started, Roscommon were slight favourites with the bookmakers as last year’s league finalists were arriving into the second game week as narrow underdogs. Galway were without some of their key players such as Sean Kelly, Shane Walsh and Damien Comer (All injured).
Roscommon introduced three players from the St Brigid’s club into the starting 15 fresh from their impressive run to the All-Ireland club final where they narrowly lost out to a resilient Glen team. Robbie Dolan, Ruaidhri Fallon and Ben O`Carroll all started in the Hyde.
There was a very strong wind present which didn’t help either side in the first half, Galway opened the scoring thanks to a free from Robert Finnerty.
Roscommon Full forward, Ciaran Lennon had to be replaced after the Clann Na Gael clubman picked up an injury early on. His replacement, Conor Cox opened the scoring for the home side.
Although Galway were playing against the wind in the opening half, they battled away and Cillian O Curraoin finished off an excellent move which saw the Tribesmen restore the lead with their opening score from play.
On the 17th minute, Cox levelled the game before a long-ranged effort from Daire Cregg put Roscommon ahead for the first time. A nice free from off the surface from Matthew Tierney restored parity in the 22nd minute.
Ruaidhri Fallon and O Curraoin kicked scores to leave it four points apiece with 28 minutes played. St Brigid’s captain Brian Stack came on as a sub late in the first half and gave some stability to his side.
Conor Cox kicked a hat trick of points including his first from play to put his side three points up at half time. Half Time score: Roscommon 0-7, Galway 0-4.
It didn’t take long for Galway to reduce the deficit thanks to early frees from Finnerty and O Curraoin. Roscommon who were playing into tricky conditions battled on and points from their dangerman, Ben O Carroll and a free from Diarmuid Murtagh meant that they had a 3-point advantage going into the last quarter of the game.
As you would expect, the visitors never gave up and Kieran Molloy and Matthew Tierney chipped in with two points from play to leave the bare minimum between the sides. Galway veteran midfielder popped up and brought the game level from a placed ball.
There were seven minutes to go as Donie Smith saw red for an altercation with Paul Conroy, the game took another twist as Galway`s numerical advantage was wiped out when Corofin youngster, Jack Mc Cabe got a black card shortly after his introduction to play.
With both teams having 14 on the field of play, they went in search of a winner. There were late chances for both sides but unfortunately all failed to hit the target. In the end, both sides had to settle for a point. Full Time score: Roscommon 0-9, Galway 0-9.
Galway: C. Gleeson, J. McGrath, S. Fitzgerald, E. Kelly, D. McHugh, J. Daly, S. Mulkerrin, P. Conroy 0-1, J. Maher, K. Molloy 0-1, M. Tierney 0-2 (1 free), C. Sweeney, L. Ó Conghaile, R. Finnerty 0-2 (2 frees), C. Ó Curraoin 0-3 (2 frees).
Subs: J. Heaney for Kelly (44), C. Darcy for Ó Curraoin (55), J. McCabe for Finnerty (62), P. Egan for Mulkerrin (70).
Roscommon: C. Carroll, R Dolan, D. Murray, N. Higgins, N. Daly, R. Fallon 0-1, E. McCormack, E. Smith, D. Ruane 0-1, C. Connolly, D Cregg, C. Lennon, D. Murtagh 0-1 (1 free), B. O’Carroll 0-1, D. Smith.
Subs: C. Cox 0-5 (4 frees) for Lennon (9 – inj), B. Stack for Connolly (30), K. Doyle for Ruane (44), J. Fitzpatrick for Cregg (65), E. Flynn for Dolan (73), A. Glennon for Murtagh (75).
Referee: C. Lane (Cork).