Galway hang on for dramatic late win over Mayo to claim 51st Connacht SFC crown

May 04, 2025

Mayo's Ryan O'Donoghue tackles Cillian McDaid of Galway ยฉINPHO/Ryan Byrne

Galway are Connacht senior football champions for the fourth year in-a-row after holding off Mayo’s second-half comeback for a 1-17 to 1-15 victory in Castlebar today.

After a shaky start from the holders saw them conceding a Darren McHale goal six minutes in, a pair of Paul Conroy two-pointers (one from a free) steered the Tribesmen in front and the scores of Matthew Thompson and Cillian McDaid put them three ahead by the 23rd minute.

There was Mayo response on the scoreboard and scores from Sean Kelly and Rob Finnerty extended the Galway lead ahead of a superbly struck Matthew Tierney penalty making it 1-10 to 1-2.

Kevin McStay’s men ended their scoring drought with a McHale point late in the half which would be erased by Finnerty as the visitors went in at the break with a 1-11 to 1-3 advantage.

Ryan O’Donoghue’s score from beyond the arc got Mayo motoring in the opening minute of the resumption and he’d chip in with two more frees either side of a Matthew Ruane two-pointer to cut the deficit down to four.

Another brace from O’Donoghue (one free) and a McHale point suddenly had the margin at the minimum come the 47th minute, and while Galway got it pushed out to two again, the points of Davitt Neary and O’Donoghue (free) had the scoreboard reading 1-13 apiece with 15 minutes to go.

McDaid and O’Donoghue (free) traded points before a Finnerty free was backed up by a point from ‘Man of the Match’ Conroy in the 65th minute.

Colm Reape swung over a ‘65’ for Mayo and they looked to be through for a late equaliser but Paul Towey’s effort was brilliantly blocked by Dylan McHugh and, from there, Joyce’s side were able to send over the insurance point via Liam Ó Conghaile on the break to seal their county’s 51st Nestor Cup success.


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