Sligo 0-10 Galway 3-11

Sligo endured a disappointing afternoon at Pearse Stadium on Sunday as their hopes of securing a Connacht Minor title – a first since 1968 – came a cropper against a classy Galway outfit on dreary day in Salthill.

Approaching the game knowing the capabilities of a talented Galway team, Sligo were still full of confidence after their semi-final defeat of Leitrim and after a bright opening the omens looked good for David Cummins’ side.

However, Galway’s power told as the game progressed and after Conor Campbell netted a first half goal they added two more after the interval to end as ten-point winners.

Sligo produced an excellent opening ten minutes with Conall Ryan (2), Luke Towey and Red Óg Murphy all pointing in the first ten minutes to give their side a 0-4 to 0-1 lead.

Playing with the wind at their backs, Sligo looked poised to build on this excellent start but Campbell’s goal in the 16^th minute was a major blow to the visitors, and despite adding a further two points before the break Galway held the advantage, 1-6 to 0-6 as the sides headed for the dressing rooms.

Facing a mammoth task in the second period into the breeze, Sligo remained especially diligent and worked hard to quell a Galway team intent on putting the game to bed as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, Sligo only managed one point to Galway’s 2-4 in the third quarter of the game, with Niall Colsh pointing before goals from Daniel Kenny and Padraic Costello put Galway 3-10 to 0-7 in front with 15 minutes to play.

To their credit, Sligo never died and finished well with some good points in the closing stages from Ryan Walsh, Red Óg Murphy and Barry Gorman bringing Sligo’s tally to 0-10, but Galway proved too strong over the hour.

Though Sligo have missed out on provincial honours, they will still have a major say in the last eight of the All-Ireland series and they will look forward to a meeting with the Ulster Champions (Derry or Cavan) in the coming weeks.

Sligo: A Davey; E Lyons, J Ellis, B Tuohy; B Cox, E Lavin, O Conlon; N Colsh (0-1), B Gorman (0-1); R Anderson L Towey (0-1), C O’Dowd; C Ryan (0-3), R Óg Murphy(0-3, 2fs), K McKenna. Subs used: M Cahill for O’Dowd (29), J Stephenson for McKenna (32, BC), J Weir for Tuohy (46), R Walsh (0-1) for Anderson (49), J McMunn for Lavin (57), O Grehan for Colsh (63).

Galway: O Burke; E McFadden, S Mulkerrin, G Burke; J Glynn, S Fitzgerald, L Boyle (0-1); M Barrett (0-2), E Murphy (0-1); B Harlowe, D Silke (0-4, 3fs), M Kerrigan (0-1); C Newell, P Costello (1-1), C Campbell (1-0). Subs used: D Kenny (1-0) for Harlowe (HT), L Costello for Kerrigan (50), R Cunningham (0-1) for P Costello (51), C Potter for Boyle (53), J Kyne for Burke (60).

Referee: L Devenney (Mayo)