Galway cruise to eight-point victory over Leitrim in Connacht SFC

Galway eased into the Connacht semi-final against Mayo after Damien Comer's first-half goal easily saw them past Leitrim by 1-13 to 0-8 in Carrick-on-Shannon.

The Tribesmen rarely powered past third gear as they picked up their second win in a fortnight to secure a home tie against their arch rivals, who are chasing a fifth successive provincial title.

Leitrim kept the game alive until the second period but they faded after that and had to wait until six minutes from time for their first score of the half.

Comer's goal for Galway in the 33rd minute looked to have put the result beyond doubt as it opened out a seven-point advantage for Kevin Walsh's men, but the home side finished the half strongly with the last three points to only trail by 1-7 to 0-6 at the break.

Playing with the advantage of a stiff first-half breeze, Leitrim would have been quietly satisfied to hold a 0-2 to 0-1 lead after four minutes. Paul Conroy got Galway off the mark with a free but Shane Ward's side moved ahead with points from Sean McWeeney and Ronan Kennedy.

Donal Wrynn came within inches of a goal a minute later when Darren Sweeney's long-range free crashed back off the post and the powerful forward was denied by a smart stop from Brian O'Donoghue.

Micheal Lundy drew Galway level with a good score from the left in the eighth minute, but Wrynn amazingly hit the post again for Leitrim moments later.

After their nervy start, the Galway rearguard settled and with Cathal Sweeny playing well alongside the calming influence of Finian Hanley, the visitors started to build from the back.

Conroy chipped over his third free in the 24th minute to kick-start an unanswered 1-4 for Galway, with Comer's fine goal on the turn giving them total control before the break.

However, Fergal Clancy pointed at the other end following a good interchange of passes, before a Kevin Conlon ‘45 and McWeeney's second point from the right brought Leitrim back into contention.

Wrynn saw his third goal chance of the game go unrewarded 15 seconds after the restart when he flashed a shot across the face of O'Donoghue's goal, and that miss was punished at the other end when Gary O'Donnell pointed two minutes later for Galway.

The late Leitrim rally before half-time was wiped out by the 51st minute when Conroy blasted a free from 50 metres and Comer showed huge strength to shake off Ronan Gallagher and score from a tight angle.

That score put Galway 1-10 to 0-6 up, and Leitrim were not helping themselves at the other end either as wides from Conlan and substitute Paddy McGowan failed to break their second-half duck.

A free from Conlan six minutes from time finally got Leitrim on the board in the second half, but a quick-fire brace from Danny Cummins and Patrick Sweeney's late effort meant Galway were not troubled.

Galway: B O'Donoghue; J Duane, F Hanley, C Sweeney; L Silke, G O'Donnell (0-1), S Denvir; F Ó Curraoin, P Conroy (0-6, 5f); G Sice, S Walsh, M Lundy (0-1); P Óg Ó Gríofa (0-1, 1f), D Cummins (0-2), D Comer (1-1).

Substitutes: P Sweeney (0-1) for Walsh (51), T Flynn for Ó Curraoin (62), A Varley for Cummins (66), M Martin for Óg Ó Gríofa (68), D Kyne for C Sweeney (72), G Bradshaw for Denvir (72).

Leitrim: C McCrann; M Murphy, R Gallagher, N Woods; S McWeeney (0-2), G Reynolds, T Mulvey; D Sweeney, S Moran; D Beck, F Clancy (0-1), K Conlan (0-3, 2 '45, 1f); R Kennedy (0-1), J McGrail, D Wrynn.

Substitutes:C Gilheaney for McGrail (41), J Connolly for Mulvey (50), P McGowan (0-1) for Moran (53), B Prior for Murphy (55), S Quinn for Wrynn (66), A McLoughlin for Beck (68).

Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow).