Galway 1-12

Mayo 1-11

Galway withstood a late rally from Mayo to be crowned Connacht junior football champions in the curtain-raiser to the senior clash between the same counties at Elvery's MacHale Park.

The Tribesmen got off to a flying start when man of the match Padraic Cunningham soloed through the Mayo defence before firing home a fifth-minute goal. Gary Kelly was also prominent in the Galway full forward line before receiving a black card on the stroke of half-time. At the other end, Ronan Carolan was accurate from placed balls and Cormac Doohan was a handful at full forward as Mayo trailed by 0-6 to 1-9 at the interval.

The winners, who received a walkover from Sligo in the semi-final, remained six points clear until the end of the third quarter when Sean Walsh fisted home a goal to revive Mayo's challenge. A pair of Enda Tierney frees gave Galway breathing space, but they were left hanging on for the win after late points from Doohan, Carolan (two frees) and James Dowd left the minimum in it.

Galway - M Breathnach; E O'Sullivan, D Garvey, A Ward; J O'Brien, S O Currin, P O'Donnell; C Brennan, C Brady; A McDonagh (0-1), A O Laoi, P Eoin O Curraoin; J Ryan (0-3, 1f), P Cunningham (1-2), G Kelly (0-3, 2f). Subs: S Gaffney (0-2f) for G Kelly (BC), A O hIarnain for J O'Brien, M Goldrick for C Brady, T Gleeson for A McDonagh.

Mayo - C McGlynn; O McGrath, J O'Dowd, B Reynolds; C Boylan, D Lyon, C Burke; B Carr (0-1), S Walsh (1-0); J Kelly, R Carolan (0-6f), P Gallagher; C Doohan (0-2), TJ Byrne, D Keavney. Subs: J Dowd (0-1) for P Gallagher, T Fahey for D Keavney, J Forkan for C Boylan (BC), E Doran for J O'Dowd (BC).

Referee - P McTiernan.

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