GAA: Roscommon beat Galway to win Connacht football championship

Roscommon stunned reigning champions Galway to claim a 23rd Connacht football championship with a 2-15 to 0-12 victory at Salthill.

Kevin McStay's men, who lost their opening six league games and who were hammered by eleven points in the final by Galway last year, were well worth their third biggest win ever in a Connacht final.

It is Roscommon's first championship win over Galway in 17 years and their first provincial final win at Pearse Stadium since 1978.

Roscommon led from the first minute and never surrendered the lead against a Galway team who never got moving and who did not score for the closing 24 minutes of the game despite having wind advantage.

Galway finished the contest with 13 men following a row in the closing stages which saw sub Michael Lundy red-carded, while Damien Comer picked up a second yellow.

By then Roscommon were down to 14 after Cian Connolly collected a second yellow card.

Roscommon made the most of the wind in the opening half but while they led by 1-6 to 0-2 after just 14 minutes, they only managed one more point for the remainder of the half.

Galway struggled against the wind and by the interval Shane Walsh was their only scorer, kicking two frees and one from play.

Roscommon led by 0-6 to 0-1 when they struck for the opening goal when Connolly finished low to the bottom left corner after a superb delivery from Diarmuid Muratgh.

Roscommon had two points on the board after less than 90 seconds with Ciarain Murtagh and his brother Diarmuid finding the target for a perfect start.

Ciarain Murtagh and Walsh exchanged points before Roscommon hit three in succession from Ciarain Murtagh, Conor Devaney and Diarmuid Murtagh before Walsh pulled back one from play for the holders.

The opening goal left it 1-6 to 0-2 after 14 minutes but a Diarmuid Murtagh point four minutes before the interval was all they added.

Walsh pulled back another free for Galway and Michael Daly saw a goal chance come back off the bottom of the left post.

Both sides struggled in the wet conditions with the crowd of 18,287 having little to cheer about.

Galway drafted in Gary Sice and Danny Cummins at the break and quick points from Walsh and Damien Comer cut the gap to 1-7 to 0-5 after 38 minutes.

But then Diarmuid Murtagh responded with a point before Brian Stack took the kickout and soloed through for his first championship goal to make it 2-8 to 0-5 after 41 minutes.

Galway responded well with six points in succession, two apiece from Walsh and Paul Conroy and one from captain Gary O'Donnell and Michael Daly.

Diarmuid Murtagh pulled back a free to lift the siege and extend the lead to four points and efforts from Cian Connolly and Donie Smith, either side of a Damien Comer point, saw Roscommon lead by 2-11 to 0-12 with eleven minutes left on the clock and they never looked like surrendering from there.

Roscommon - C Lavin; D Murray, N McInerney, S McDermott; C Devaney (0-3), S Mullooly, J McManus; T O'Rourke, E Smith; F Cregg, N Kilroy, B Stack (1-0); C Murtagh (0-3, 0-2f), D Murtagh (0-5, 0-3f), C Connolly (1-1).

Subs: G Patterson for Murray (36, blood), I Kilbride for Cregg (48), D Smith (0-2, 0-1f) for D Murtagh (53), C Compton for C Murtagh (66), R Stack for Kilroy (70), S Killoran (0-1) for B Stack (75).

Galway - R Lavelle; C Sweeney, D Kyne, E Kerin; G O'Donnell (0-1), G Bradshaw, L Silke; P Conroy (0-2, 0-1f), F O Curraoin; T Flynn, E Brannigan, J Heaney; M Daly (0-1), D Comer (0-2), S Walsh (0-6, 0-4f).

Subs: G Sice for Heaney (half-time), D Cummins for Brannigan (half-time), M Lundy for Flynn (60), E Tierney for O Curraoin (66, blood), D Wynne for Conroy (75, black card).

Referee: David Gough (Meath)