Galway 2-8 Derry 1-6: Tribesmen crack Oak Leaf conundrum to reach All-Ireland final
Match report and highlights from the All-Ireland semi-final, as Galway defeated Derry 2-8 to 1-6 at Croke Park. Damien Comer (2-2) and Shane Walsh (0-4) led the charge for the Tribesmen, as Pádraic Joyce's delivered an impressive display after the break following a drab first half.
Sunday 10 July 2022 10:12, UK
Galway are through to their first All-Ireland final since 2001, after a 2-8 to 1-6 win over Derry.
The Oak Leaf County had enjoyed stunning success with their tactical set-up this summer. But Galway finally cracked the conundrum in the second half, with two Damien Comer goals sending them on their way.
The Tribesmen will face Dublin or Kerry in the final, as they bid to win the Sam Maguire Cup for the first time in 21 years.
As expected, Derry set up ultra-defensively when Galway were in possession, and committed significant numbers forward when attacking.
Galway elected to mirror their opponents' set-up.
Crucially, Derry had far more experience with the tactics and that was telling. The Tribesmen failed to score for the opening 21 minutes.
During that time, Derry stormed into a three-point lead, with Brendan Rogers kicking a brace.
Damien Comer eventually opened the Galway account in the 22nd minute. And although the Connacht champions continued to struggle to both manufacture opportunities and capitalise from them, they were not punished.
It culminated in somewhat of a stalemate.
There was major controversy before half-time, when hawkeye ruled a Shane Walsh 45 to have gone wide. Replays indicated it had gone over the bar.
It was retrospectively awarded before the start of the second half, and hawkeye was stood down for the remainder of the game.
Pádraic Joyce and Cian O'Neill altered the Galway approach at the break.
They pushed up on Derry far more, and the Ulster champs struggled to retain possession from Odhrán Lynch's restarts.
It gave the men in maroon a foothold in the game, and they took full advantage.
Shane Walsh kicked three frees in succession after the break, before Galway struck for goal. A direct ball was played into Comer. The Tribe target-man gathered possession, turned Brendan Rogers who slipped, and buried it into the net to give his side a 1-7 to 0-4 lead.
Derry were left with a mountain to climb.
Shane McGuigan kicked their first of the half in the 49th minute, but they lacked the threat up front to make significant inroads.
The Westerners well and truly booked their place in the July 24 decider in the 65th minute. Derry goalkeeper Odhrán Lynch was caught in possession, and Galway broke forward. Comer received a long ball one-on-one with Rogers, and managed to find the empty net from outside the 21.
That killed off the Derry challenge. Lachlan Murray score a goal for Derry, but ultimately Galway were deserved winners.
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)
Attendance: 68,830
Scorers
Galway: Damien Comer (2-2), Shane Walsh (0-4, 0-3f, 0-1 '45), John Daly (0-1), Johnny Heaney (0-1).
Derry: Shane McGuigan (0-3, 0-2f), Lachlan Murray (1-0), Brendan Rogers (0-2), Niall Loughlin (0-1).
Teams
Galway
1. Connor Gleeson
2. Liam Silke
3. Seán Kelly
4. Jack Glynn
5. Dylan McHugh
6. John Daly
7. Kieran Molloy
8. Paul Conroy
9. Cillian McDaid
10. Patrick Kelly
11. Matthew Tierney
12. Johnny Heaney
13. Robert Finnerty
14. Damien Comer
15. Shane Walsh
Subs
Finnian Ó Laoi for Johnny Heaney (61)
Billy Mannion for Damien Comer (68)
Dessie Conneely for Robert Finnerty (68)
Paul Kelly for Patrick Kelly (73)
Derry
1. Odhrán Lynch
2. Chrissy McKaigue
3. Brendan Rogers
4. Conor McCluskey
7. Padraig McGrogan
5. Conor Doherty
11. Shea Downey
8. Conor Glass
6. Gareth McKinless
10. Paul Cassidy
22. Niall Toner
12. Ethan Doherty
13. Benny Heron
14. Shane McGuigan
15. Niall Loughlin
Subs
Emmett Bradley for Shea Downey (45)
Lachlan Murray for Niall Toner (56)
Ben McCarron for Benny Heron (61)
