Galway outclass Roscommon to win first Connacht SFC title since 2008

Galway produced a superb performance to record the biggest ever win in a Connacht SFC final replay when they captured their first provincial title since 2008 with an emphatic 3-16 to 0-14 victory over Roscommon in Castlebar.

Galway's 1-14 to 0-9 win over Roscommon in 1976 was the biggest replay win prior to this, but that eight-point margin was easily surpassed by Kevin Walsh's men.

A string of late Roscommon points reduced the final margin but this was a game dominated from start to finish by the Tribesmen as they captured their 45th Connacht title.

And in Kevin Walsh's second campaign in charge, Galway have beaten two Division 1 sides in succession, and now head into the All-Ireland quarter-finals full of confidence after those wins over Mayo and Roscommon.

Roscommon now have the difficult task of picking themselves up again for next weekend, as they take their place in the fourth round of the qualifiers against a winning side.

It was 2-9 to 0-5 at half-time and the sight of the Roscommon fans heading for the exits as early as the 18th minute of the second-half told its own story.

Galway played against the breeze in the opening half but they still hit the first three points through Eoghan Kerin, Gary Sice and Eamon Brannigan.

Ciarain Murtagh, who scored four of their five first-half points, was the only Roscommon forward to threaten, while Galway had a string of options in an attack which was led superbly by Damien Comer.

Comer had a goal disallowed for square ball earlier, but the reprieve was short-lived as Eamon Brannigan picked out Cummins with a good pass and his superb finish low to the bottom of the net pushed Galway into a 1-4 to 0-2 lead.

Comer then kicked an inspirational effort that was cancelled out by Murtagh.

But Galway defended brilliantly and constantly caught Roscommon on the counter-attack. Comer scored another great point, Cummins extended the gap to seven and Sice struck for Galway's second goal in the 26th minute.

The 31-year-old Corofin clubman turned Fintan Cregg inside out and then hammered a shot into the roof of the Roscommon net. Comer quickly tagged on his third point to extend Galway's lead.

Roscommon needed something positive, but David Keenan got a black card when he dragged down Comer. Shane Walsh slotted the free and despite Murtagh's free, Galway led 2-9 to 0-5 at half-time.

Substitute Fergal Lennon kicked a Roscommon point at the start of the second-half, but Galway hit four in a row to kill off any chance of a comeback.

Enda Smith and Senan Kilbride found their range as Galway eased up but Cummins rifled home his second goal as the Tribesmen cruised to their first title in eight years, with Roscommon finishing with 14 men when Donie Smith picked up a second yellow card.

Galway: B Power (0-1, 0-1 '45); E Kerin (0-1), D Kyne, D Wynne; G O'Donnell (0-1), L Silke, G Bradshaw; P Conroy (0-1), T Flynn; G Sice (1-2, 0-2f), E Brannigan (0-2), J Heaney; D Cummins (2-1), D Comer (0-3), S Walsh (0-3, 0-2f).

Subs: A Varley for Walsh (52), P Sweeney for Comer (58, black card), F Hanley for Kyne (66), P Varley (0-1) for Heaney (67), E Hoare for Sice (70), P Cooke for Cummins (70).

Roscommon: D O'Malley; D Murray, S Mullooly, N McInerney; D Keenan, J McManus, S Purcell; N Daly, C Compton; F Cregg, C Cregg (0-1), S McDermott; C Murtagh (0-4, 0-1f), S Kilbride (0-2), C Devaney.

Subs used: D Smith for Keenan (31, black card), E Smith (0-2) for Devaney (35), F Lennon (0-1) for Purcell (35), D Shine (0-2) for F Cregg (42), T Corcoran (0-1) for Compton (49), U Harney (0-1) for Mullooly (52)

Referee: Ciaran Branagan (Down).