Galway 7-22
Laois 1-5

by Darren Kelly

Galway are through to the TG4 All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals following this comfortable victory over Laois in Duggan Park, Ballinasloe.

Olivia Divilly and Ailbhe Davoren got two goals each along with green flags for Caoimhe Cleary, Aoife O’Rourke and Róisín Leonard.

However, despite the final result, this was much more competitive in the opening quarter on a hot summer’s day and Laois lit up the contest to lead by a point on the quarter hour.

Divilly and Mo Nerney traded early frees before another from Divilly and Davoren put Galway two ahead. But on eight minutes, Stephen Duff’s team made a breakthrough as Gráinne Moran and Lauren Kearney combined on the right with the latter slotting into the net.

Ailish Morrissey finished off a four player move to equalise before a Nerney free restored the visitors’ advantage. That was as good as it got for the Leinster side as the hosts started pressing their opponents’ kick outs.

Another key moment was Galway being restored to 15 players after Maryanne Jordan sat out 10 minutes for a yellow card. On 16 minutes, Nicola Ward gained yards before unleashing Davoren who beat two players before striking to the net.

Sixty seconds later, the just introduced Leonard found Caoimhe Cleary and her shot lobbed the keeper into the net.

Morrissey, Leonard (2) and Leanne Coen stretched the margin before Divilly palmed in Galway’s third major. Leonard, Divilly and Morrissey added points before the break with Orla Hennessy’s Laois score leaving their deficit at 3-11 to 1-3.

Galway started the second half with 1-5 unanswered as Niamh Divilly, her sister Olivia (2), Mairead Glynn and Coen added to Davoren’s second goal on 38 minutes.

Nerney replied twice for Laois by the three quarter-mark but they were either side of substitute O’Rourke’s goal. And the hosts didn’t look back with another 2-6.  Olivia Divilly (4), Leonard and O’Rourke got the points with Divilly, from a free, and Leonard with the goals.

Galway are through to the final eight but while disappointed with the final score, Laois can take positives from their start heading into the relegation battle.

Scorers – Galway: O Divilly 2-9 (1-5f), A Davoren 2-1, R Leonard 1-4, A O’Rourke 1-1, A Morrissey 0-3, C Cleary 1-0, L Coen 0-2, N Divilly 0-1, M Glynn 0-1.

Laois: M Nerney 0-4 (3f), L Kearney 1-0, O Hennessy 0-1.

GALWAY: L O’Halloran; M Jordan, S Lynch, K Geraghty; C Cleary, N Ward, É O’Riordan; M Glynn, A Davoren; N Divilly, L Ward, L Coen; E Reaney, O Divilly, A Morrissey.

Subs: R Leonard for Reaney (16), S Hynes for Jordan (ht), A Trill for N Divilly (39), A O’Rourke for Morrissey (39), M Walsh for Davoren (45).

LAOIS: N Luttrell; C Malone, S Farrelly, G Lalor; K Jacob, M Cotter, L Kearney; A Moore, A Moran; K Donoghue, O Hennessy, G Moran; M Nerney, E Lacey, A Fitzpatrick.

Subs: A Ryle for Jacob (42), R Allen for Fitzpatrick (44), A Bryan for Hennessy (52), A Cummins for Malone (55), C Scanlon for Donoghue (56).

REFEREE: Angela Gallagher (Meath)

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