Month: September 2021

Kerry 1-16
Monaghan 2-11

Paul Brennan reports from Croke Park

FOR THE FIFTH successive September, Kerry will contest the All-Ireland minor football final after the Kingdom just about accounted for Monaghan — bidding to be only the second minor team from the county to reach the All-Ireland final — in a thoroughly entertaining and well-contested match.

The champions got an almighty scare after two second-half Monaghan goals pulled the Ulster county right back into the match, and it took a couple of Paul Walsh frees to rescue Kerry in added-on time.

Kerry largely dominated the first 15 minutes, and with the Munster champions leading 0-4 to 0-1 after nine minutes they upped the ante and began moving into top gear like the defending champions they are.

Two Dylan Geaney points — he scored five in the first half — and one each from midfielders Darragh Rahilly and Darragh Lyne saw Kerry ease out to 0-8 to 0-2 lead, and there was a faint air of inevitability about the outcome at that stage.

Credit Monaghan, however, as they never panicked and worked their way back into game.

Aaron Mulligan and Geaney traded converted free kicks before the Farney lads had their best and most productive spell with points from Jason Irwin, Loughlin Power and Mulligan to cut the deficit to three points. Another Geaney free made it 0-10 to 0-6 to Kerry.

Darragh Rahilly with Jordan McGarrell battle for possession.

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

Monaghan needed the better start to the second half but instead the first score after the restart was a Kerry goal, corner back David Mangan showing all the awareness and poise of a corner forward to collect Michael Lenihan’s pass and shoot past Ryan Farrelly to open up a seven-point lead.

That was soon nine points courtesy of Paul Walsh and Dan McCarthy and there seemed like no way back for Monaghan from there.

This is minor football, however. Centre-forward Sean Jones converted three frees in quick succession to make it 1-12 to 0-9, and things got interesting when Kerry defender Conor Flannery was dismissed in the 46th minute for a second booking.

Jason Irwin’s goal in the 55th minute halved the deficit from six points to three, and two minutes later it was a tied game when Monaghan sub Mark Mooney beat Marc Kelliher for the second time, and incredibly Monaghan had the lead on the cusp of 60 minutes when Donnacha Swinburne pointed.

Seven minutes of additional time ensued with Paul Walsh converting two frees and sub Jack Kennelly nailing an insurance point in the 67th minute to ensure the champions survived one of their toughest games all year.

Scorers for Kerry: Dylan Geaney 0-5 (2f), David Mangan 1-0, Darragh Rahilly 0-3, Paul Walsh 0-3 (2f), Dan McCarthy 0-2, Darragh Lyne 0-1, Killian Falvey 0-1, Jack Kennelly 0-1.

Scorers for Monaghan: Sean Jones 0-4 (all frees), Aaron Mulligan 0-4 (1f), Jason Irwin 1-1, Mark Mooney 1-0, Loughlin Power 0-1, Donnacha Swinburne 0-1

Kerry

1. Mark Kelliher (Glenflesk)

2. Conor Flannery (Dingle)
3. Owen Fitzgerald (Gneeveguilla)
4. David Mangan (Laune Rangers)

5. Colm Moriarty (Annascaul)
6. Dan McCarthy (Kenmare)
7. Dan Murphy (Rathmore)

8. Darragh Rahilly (Rathmore)
9. Darragh Lyne (Killarney Legion)

10. Paul Walsh (Brosna)
11. Paul O’Shea (Kilcummin)
12. Killian Falvey (Annascaul)

13. Dylan Geaney (Dingle)
14. Patrick D’Arcy (Glenflesk)
15. Michael Lenihan (Dr Crokes)

Subs

17. Jack O’Connor (Beaufort) for 14. P D’arcy (HT)
20. James McCarthy (Kenmare) for 15. M Lenihan (48)
19. Jack Kennelly (Ballydonoghue) for 17. J O’Connor (55)
18. Kieran O’Donoghue (Killarney Legion) for 4. D Mangan (59)
23. Mark Cooper (Dr Crokes) for 13, D Geaney (63)

Monaghan boss Seamus McEnaney.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Monaghan

1. Ryan Farrelly (Magheracloone)

2. Ronan Grimes (Killanny)
3. Jack Doogan (Magheracloone)
4. Shane Hanratty (Inniskeen)

5. Christopher Flood (Truagh)
6. Brendán Og O Dufaigh (Monaghan Harps)
7. Michael Meehan (Scotstown)

8. Jordan McGarrell (Corduff)
9. Andrew Moore (Carrickmacross)

10. Aaron Mulligan (Latton)
11. Sean Jones (Inniskeen)
12. Karl Gallagher (Emyvale)

13. Donnacha Swinburne (Carrickmacross)
14. Loughlinn Power (Monaghan Harps)
15. Jason Irwin (Oram)

Subs

22. Oisin O’Hanlon (Carrickmacross) for 7. M Meehan (36)
20. Mark Mooney (Tyholland) for 8. J McGarrell (36)
21. Darragh Dempsey (Latton) for 14. L Power (49)
17. Joel Wilson (Achadh na Muilleann) for 12. K Gallagher (59)

Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon)

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Galway 5-11
Mayo 0-12

Daragh Small reports from Dr Hyde Park 

CAPTAIN TRACEY LEONARD pulled the strings as Galway moved into the final four of the TG4 All-Ireland senior ladies football championship with an outstanding 5-11 to 0-12 defeat of rivals Mayo.

Dr Hyde Park was the picture-perfect venue for the repeat of the Connacht final, which Galway had won 0-17 to 1-12 on 24 June, and a big crowd was present for the rematch.

Galway have not claimed a Brendan Martin Cup since their only success in 2004 but they ran reigning All-Ireland champions Dublin to a point in the Lidl NFL semi-finals and improved since.

And now Stephen Glennon’s charges can look forward to a first All-Ireland senior semi-final since 2014.

The Tribeswomen were already clear at half-time and their 3-6 to 0-6 lead came courtesy of goals from Caitriona Cormican, Ailbhe Davoren and Róisín Leonard.

Leanne Coen grabbed a deserved goal on the resumption and the game was over at that stage.

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Fiona Doherty continued to take the fight to Galway but Tracey Leonard orchestrated a stunning victory, with Róisín Leonard doubling up in the closing stages.

The only downside for Galway was Davoren’s late knee injury, and she looks a major doubt for the semi-final after she was stretchered off in the 45th minute.

Mayo captain Aileen Gilroy won the toss and her side played with a slight breeze at their backs in the first half. But after Doherty opened their scoring, in the third minute, they were completely dominated.

Coen scored three points and Tracey Leonard tapped over a free while Galway raced into a 0-4 to 0-1 advantage by the end of the first quarter.

Sarah Conneally of Galway in action against Emma Lowther of Mayo

Source: Sportsfile

Grace Kelly scored a free in the 17th minute, a badly needed point for Mayo, but that was cancelled out in devastating fashion a couple of minutes later.

Tracey Leonard gave a brilliant hand pass behind the Mayo cover and Cormican wrestled her way through before she dropped a speculative effort over Laura Brennan’s head and into the Mayo net.

And then from the next play Galway went 2-4 to 0-2 ahead. Davoren profited on this occasion as she finished low to the Mayo goal.

It was a huge lead early in the game and despite two points from Grace Kelly (frees), and one from her sister Niamh Kelly, Mayo were in big trouble.

Galway’s third goal arrived four minutes before the interval when Róisín Leonard got through and composed herself before she slotted the ball into Brennan’s bottom right corner for a 3-6 to 0-6 half-time lead.

Galway scored their third goal just three minutes after the interval when Coen hit the target with another precise finish.

Tracey Leonard tagged on three points while Doherty starred at the other end with five points from play.

Sinead Burke, Danielle Caldwell and Sarah Rowe received yellow cards late on — and Róisín Leonard scored a fifth Galway goal with seven minutes remaining.

Mayo, beaten finalists in 2017, bow out at the hands of their provincial rivals and won’t be seen in action again until next year’s Lidl NFL Division 1 campaign.

Galway scorers: R Leonard 2-2 (1f), L Coen 1-4, A Davoren 1-1, T Leonard 0-4 (1f), C Cormican 1-0. Mayo: G Kelly 0-5 (4f), F Doherty 0-5, N Kelly 0-1, S Cafferky 0-1.

Mayo scorers: G Kelly 0-5 (4f), F Doherty 0-5, N Kelly 0-1, S Cafferky 0-1.

Galway:

L Murphy

F Cooney
S Lynch
S Burke

E Flaherty
N Ward
C Cooney

L Ward
A Davoren

O Divilly
T Leonard
C Cormican

S Conneally
R Leonard
L Coen.

Subs:

L Gannon for Lynch (38)
N Connolly for Flaherty (45)
S Divilly for Davoren (45)
E Reaney for O Divilly (55).

Mayo:

L Brennan

E Lowther
R O’Malley
D Caldwell

R Kearns
C McManamon
K Sullivan

N Moran
A Gilroy

S Mulvihill
F Doherty
S Cafferky

N Kelly
S Rowe
G Kelly.

Subs:

R Flynn for Mulvihill (36)
E Needham for Moran (45)
L Ryder for McManamon (54)
M Reilly for Kearns (55)
T O’Connor for G Kelly (58).

Referee: N McCormack (Laois).

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Tyrone 1-13
Monaghan 0-15

Fintan O’Toole reports from Croke Park

THERE WAS A solitary green flag raised in Croke Park today but it proved critical in determining who would advance to the All-Ireland decider and who would bow out of the 2018 race.

At a juncture when Monaghan had just edged in front, Niall Sludden pounced for that vital strike for Tyrone in the 64th minute. He sidefooted a loose ball to the net after Tiarnan McCann’s hit had produced a heroic block from Darren Hughes.

Tyrone’s Tiarnan McCann and Monaghan’s Dermot Malone.

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

It provided Tyrone with a vital cushion and they needed it. The three-point advantage they possessed entering injury-time was whittled away as Monaghan bagged late points from Kieran Hughes and Drew Wylie. But there was to be no last-gasp equaliser to rescue Malachy O’Rourke’s side as they slipped to another narrow loss to Tyrone in Croke Park.

The sides had been deadlocked at 0-8 apiece at the break, Monaghan entering their dressing-room in a positive state after drawing level. Conor McCarthy was the source of their hope, weaving a path through the Tyrone defence for a pair of points from play to close out the first half.

Tyrone’s Gavin Devlin celebrates with manager Mickey Harte after the game.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Tyrone had made all the hard yards early on. They chalked four points on the board inside the first four minutes with Colm Cavanagh, Niall Sludden, Connor McAliskey and Frank Burns all on target. When Cathal McShane swung over a point in the 11th minute, they were 0-5 to 0-2 to the good and flying high.

But Monaghan reeled Tyrone in to be firmly in the hunt entering the second half. Tyrone made the first burst through a pair of scores from Connor McAliskey, then Rory Beggan and Lee Brennan swapped frees, before Monaghan began to make their charge.

Conor McManus was felled before knocking over a 54th minute free, only their second score of the half, Kieran Hughes blasted over under pressure and McManus converted another free in the 62nd minute.

For the first time in the game Monaghan were in the ascendancy on the scoreboard. But it would prove to be the only time in the match they were in front and the lead only lasted two minutes.

Niall Sludden celebrates scoring Tyrone’s goal.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Sludden’s goal was a serious blow to Monaghan’s prospects and a massive tonic to Tyrone’s hopes. Mickey Harte saw his team push on to edge in front by three after a brace of points were notched by his nephew Peter. Monaghan came with a late onslaught but Tyrone held firm and an All-Ireland decider beckons.

Monaghan’s Ryan Wylie with Tyrone’s Peter Harte.

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

Scorers for Tyrone: Niall Sludden 1-2, Connor McAliskey 0-4 (0-2f), Peter Harte 0-2 (0-1f), Tiarnan McCann, Frank Burns, Colm Cavanagh, Cathal McShane, Lee Brennan (0-1f) 0-1 each.

Scorers for Monaghan: Conor McManus 0-7 (0-6f), Conor McCarthy 0-3, Kieran Hughes 0-2, Fintan Kelly, Drew Wylie, Rory Beggan (0-1f) 0-1 each.

Tyrone

1. Niall Morgan (Clonoe)

9. Padraig Hampsey (Coalisland)
2. Michael McKernan (Coalisland)
3. Ronan McNamee (Aghyaran)

7. Peter Harte (Errigal Ciaran)
6. Frank Burns (Pomeroy)
5. Tiernan McCann (Killyclogher)

8. Colm Cavanagh (Moy)
12. Cathal McShane (Eoghan Ruadh)

11. Niall Sludden (Dromore)
10. Mattie Donnelly (Trillick)
24. Kieran McGeary (Pomeroy)

17. Lee Brennan (Trillick)
14. Richard Donnelly (Trillick)
15. Connor McAliskey (Clonoe)

Subs

19. Harry Loughran (Moy) for Burns (half-time)
13. Mark Bradley (Killyclogher) for Lee Brennan (49)
4. Rory Brennan (Trillick) for McNamee (51)
20. Conall McCann (Killyclogher) for Richard Donnelly (57)
26. Ronan O’Neill (Omagh) for McAliskey (62)
21. Declan McClure (Clonoe) for McShane (62)

Monaghan

1. Rory Beggan (Scotstown)

2. Kieran Duffy (Latton)
3. Drew Wylie (Ballybay)
4. Ryan Wylie (Ballybay)

14. Fintan Kelly (Clones)
6. Vinny Corey (Clontibret)
5. Colin Walshe (Doohamlet)

8. Niall Kearns (Sean McDermott’s)
9. Darren Hughes (Scotstown)

11. Shane Carey (Scotstown)
13. Dermot Malone (Castleblaney)
7. Karl O’Connell (Tyholland)

10. Ryan McAnespie (Emyvale)
24 Conor McCarthy (Scotstown)
15. Conor McManus (Clontibret)

Subs

12. Dessie Mone (Clontibret) for Malone (46)
21. Kieran Hughes (Scotstown) for Carey (51)
25. Jack McCarron (Currin) for Corey (68)

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Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)

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Dublin 3-19
Kerry 1-7

Daragh Small reports from Dr Hyde Park

NIAMH MCEVOY SCORED the crucial first goal and reigning TG4 All-Ireland champions Dublin advanced to a semi-final against Galway with an 18-point win over Kerry at Dr Hyde Park in Roscommon.

Dublin claimed the 2018 Lidl NFL title when they saw off Mayo in the decider on 6 May, and now they are 60 minutes away from another final.

In a repeat of last year’s semi-final Kerry were right in the game at half-time and only trailed by 0-9 to 1-3 at the interval. Emma Dineen came up with Kerry’s first half strike to ensure they remained competitive.

But McEvoy blasted a goal in the second half and Dublin cruised through to a crunch match with the Connacht champions, with second half substitute Hannah O’Neill and Sinéad Aherne also among the goals.

Dublin had impressive wins over Cavan and Mayo in the round robin. But they played against the breeze in the first half here and didn’t have it all their own way.

Early points from Carla Rowe and Aherne seemed to suggest that Dublin would take off and do something similar to what Galway had produced in the first of the double-header.

Source: Eóin Noonan/SPORTSFILE

But Sarah Houlihan halved the deficit for Kerry when she scored their first point in the ninth minute.

Aherne slotted her second free but Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh cancelled that effort out when she did likewise into the graveyard end.

Noelle Healy reasserted Dublin’s dominance and they held a double scores 0-4 to 0-2 lead before Kerry struck against the run of play.

Dineen drove directly through the heart of the Dublin defence and she rattled her shot past the dive of goalkeeper Ciara Trant.

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Dublin were behind for the first time in the match but they replied like champions and scored the next five points in a row to re-take the lead.

Aherne scored first in the 16th minute and points followed from McEvoy, Aherne, Sinéad Goldrick and Aherne again.

Source: Eóin Noonan/SPORTSFILE

Those scores gave Dublin a 0-9 to 1-2 lead before Houlihan doubled her first half tally to bring Kerry within a goal at half-time.

But Dublin took complete control as they shut Kerry out after half-time. They scored four points in a row, with Aherne’s seventh point giving Dublin a 0-13 to 1-3 lead in the 36th minute.

Kerry hit back but McEvoy bundled home a Dublin goal in the 42nd minute after a defensive mix-up from Kerry, and Mick Bohan’s side were 1-13 to 1-6 in front.

McEvoy continued to thrive while Carla Rowe also impressed, and Dublin moved ominously into the final four with O’Neill adding a second goal and Aherne got the third.

Scorers for Dublin: S Aherne 1-7 (3f), N McEvoy 1-2, H O’Neill 1-1, N Healy 0-2, C Rowe 0-2, S Goldrick 0-1, L Magee 0-1, L Davey 0-1, N Owens 0-1, O Whyte 0-1.

Scorers for Kerry: E Dineen 1-1, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh 0-3 (3f), S Houlihan 0-2 (0-1f), A Brosnan 0-1.

Dublin

C Trant

M Byrne
N Collins
L Caffrey

S Goldrick
O Carey
D Murphy

L Magee
S McGrath

N Owens
L Davey
C Rowe

S Aherne
N McEvoy
N Healy

Subs:

A Kane for Murphy (40)
H O’Neill for Davey (47)
A Connolly for Magee (51)
S Finnegan for Rowe (54)
O Whyte for Rowe (54).

Kerry

L Fitzgerald

L Coughlan
A Desmond
E Lynch

D Kearney
S Murphy
A O’Connell

L Scanlon
A Brosnan

E Dineen
L Ní Mhuircheartaigh
A Foley

K O’Sullivan
E O’Leary
S Houlihan

Subs:

A Murphy for O’Leary (20)
A O’Callaghan for Coughlan (46)
S Burns for Foley (46)
D Greaney for S Murphy (50)
B Ryan for O’Sullivan (58).

Referee: G McMahon (Mayo).

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A ONE POINT All-Ireland semi-final loss was bound to generate disappointment, but for Monaghan boss Malachy O’Rourke the pain was greater given the amount of injury-time that was played today in Croke Park.

Points from Kieran Hughes and Drew Wylie had enabled Monaghan to chip away at Tyrone’s advantage in the additional period before time ran out as referee Anthony Nolan blew the full-time whistle.

It left O’Rourke frustrated that only three extra minutes had been signalled.

“(I’m) just frustrated the way the game ended, in that all year every game we’ve been involved in there have been seven, eight nine minutes of injury time.

“I can’t understand today how with so many substitutes brought on – they are supposed to be 20 or 30 seconds per substitution and there were plenty of injuries all through the game – how he came up with three minutes of injury time.

“That is really frustrating. We were on the front foot We had scored two points in injury time. To be cut off like that and even the last ball that went in that Kieran went for, the referee signalled for a free in and then didn’t give it.

“Just bitterly disappointed to have put so much in. I felt at the end and I don’t mean to be making excuses and no comment on Tyrone at all but just very disappointing for ourselves to come down here and we have had to be beaten like we were.”

O’Rourke was then asked if he had spoken to the Wicklow official afterwards about it.

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“I didn’t get a chance and I don’t necessarily think I’d be told. You can imagine how frustrating it is.”

Monaghan’s Ryan Wylie with Tyrone’s Peter Harte.

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

While keen to acknowledge Tyrone’s worth to victory, O’Rourke felt his team came out on the wrong side of some marginal decisions throughout the game by the referee.

“You know someone like myself is not the best man to judge that because you have a certain bias, but I did feel that right through the game that a lot of the marginal calls weren’t going our way.

“I thought we were having to work a lot harder to get a free than Tyrone were. I don’t want it to reflect on Tyrone at all, nothing to do with them at all. Tyrone played the game and won it deservedly so.

“But just from our own point of view, very frustrated and disappointed.”

In Monaghan’s first All-Ireland semi-final tie in three decades, they came agonisingly close to reaching the decider but O’Rourke hailed the character of his team for pushing Tyrone to the wire.

“The boys showed the character we knew they would. They kept coming back, we probably played better than this year we did today but even that second half it took us a while to get going but the boys battled for every ball.

“We got ourselves a point ahead, we were in a good position, Tyrone got a goal and even the goal we got Darren made a diving block, Walshie was there as well, it just rolled out and Niall Sludden put it away.

“But even when we were down two points again, the boys refused to give in. We kept battling back even in the second half and we were on the front foot.

“All defeats are hard at different times and different context but it was such a massive day for the lads, the whole county.

“I didn’t think we played our best football but I just felt the character in the team, they refused to go away and kept battling back that’s what makes it so disappointing.”

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TYRONE WILL MEET Dublin in the All-Ireland football final after both sides enjoyed vastly different semi-final wins over the weekend.

On Saturday, Dublin had nine points to spare against Connacht champions Galway in Croke Park.

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Jack McCaffrey, Ciaran Kilkenny, Brian Fenton, Con O’Callaghan and Paul Mannion were among Dublin’s star men while Ian Burke stood out for the Tribesmen.

Kilkenny kicked three points from play and ran the Dublin attack. Afterwards, he was given the nod by Sky Sports.

He’s in yet another All-Ireland Final and he’s @SuperValuIRL @SkySportsGAA Man of the Match: this explains the look on @DubGAAOfficial Ciaran Kilkenny’s face! #DUBVGAL pic.twitter.com/JZjgbL50i8

— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 11, 2018

McCaffrey meanwhile was picked out for the honours by the Sunday Game on RTÉ.

The Clontarf defender returned from a torn cruciate earlier this summer but is back to his best and used his pace to make a number of thrilling runs forward.

Man of the match Jack McCaffrey tells @MartyM_RTE that Dublin are "in a very good place" at the moment but admits Galway had them worried at half-time. #DUBvGAL #GAA pic.twitter.com/7swfhrUkK7

— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) August 11, 2018

Earlier today, it was Tyrone’s turn to book their place in the showpiece game, with a narrow 1-13 to 0-15 win over Monaghan.

Mickey Harte’s side had strong performers all over the field but Moy native Colm Cavanagh claimed the big prize on both Sky Sports and the Sunday Game.

Colm Cavanagh of @TyroneGAALive is the Sky Sports/AIB Man of the Match! pic.twitter.com/GG08Vt9QoI

— Sky Sports GAA (@SkySportsGAA) August 12, 2018

Who do you think deserved the awards? Let us know in the comments section below. 

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SINCE TYRONE LAST scaled the Gaelic football summit in 2008, they have ventured back to Croke Park on four occasions in search of a berth in the September decider.

Cork in 2009, Mayo in 2013, Kerry in 2015 and Dublin in 2017 put paid to the dreams held by Mickey Harte’s teams.

Their All-Ireland semi-final record was developing into a pattern of losses and disappointments. To correct that trend yesterday brought natural delight and also a sense of relief as they held off Monaghan to prevail at the final whistle.

“If you have been in four semi-finals and go home with nothing to do for the next month only watch other teams go for it, there is an awful sense of anti-climax.

“We know the people of Tyrone. They love their football and love to get energised by it. And we felt for the last number of years that we kind of let them down somehow. They just wanted to express themselves in terms of being here on All-Ireland final day.

“Maybe we got a wee bit spoilt with three in five years in the noughties. But still there is a longing in the people of Tyrone to be here on All-Ireland final day.

“And we always felt we were playing for them. That’s what we do it for. We don’t do it for ourselves. We do it for those good people who travel miles and miles to support it; people who have family issues where football brings them some consolation.

“So it’s not just about Gaelic games or about playing football. It is about the well-being of the people in your county. I feel for Monaghan, of course, because we have been there four times in the last five.

“We have lost our previous four so we are well aware of how they feel and I have to empathise with them about that, but we needed this so badly.

“Ten years is a long time and on our fifth attempt to get to the final we felt as a group we needed to be in this final. Thanks be to God we are there.

“This day we have been waiting for a long time and working towards. We had to be very patient, we were knocking on the door getting to decent places, but we could never get to the final.”

Harte knows that a semi-final success cannot be dwelt on. He has an unblemished record from final appearances with those victories in 2003, 2005 and 2008 but the scale of the challenge presented by Dublin is clear.

“We can’t be too pleased about all of that because getting to a final is one thing,” admitted Harte.

“There is something to be won in the final and we have to knuckle down to do our very best to make a game of this final.

“The public need it and Tyrone people need it to make us take a bite at this final. We haven’t great memories of our semi-final against Dublin here last year so we need to be so much better than that.

“If we are it should be a much better game and who knows what could happen? We didn’t read a 12 point defeat into that match last year. A lot of people did and a lot of people reminded us of it for the last twelve months.

“But we didn’t feel we were twelve points a worse team than Dublin with that result. Neither do we feel necessarily a three point (worse) team to Dublin because of what happened in Omagh.

“There are different scripts, different days, different everything. This is a new game and a new situation whereas Dublin are so comfortable having been there so often.

“So it is a whole different action on the day. We need to just work on how we can be the best we can be on that day and lets see what it brings.”

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GALWAY MANAGER STEPHEN Glennon says it was a massive relief when Róisín Leonard scored her side’s fifth goal against Mayo, to secure safe passage into a first TG4 All-Ireland semi-final since 2014.

The reigning Connacht champions were hammered 6-19 to 1-10 by Cork at this stage last year, and this was a big statement.

They will face reigning champions Dublin in the final, a side Galway lost 2-8 to 2-7 against in the Lidl NFL semi-final this year.

But Glennon was just thrilled to get past Mayo with two goals from Róisín Leonard, added to by the efforts of Leanne Coen, Ailbhe Davoren and Caitriona Cormican at Dr Hyde Park in Roscommon.

“I turned around to the crowd and put my hands up. It was just relief. At that stage I felt there was no coming back for Mayo,” said Glennon.

“There was pressure. I am probably my own worst critic and I put a lot of pressure on myself. But of all games, and I have been involved in a lot of games, I really did feel it coming into this game.

“I was animated enough on the line at times but that was part of it. I could feel the pressure coming in this week. It was pressure I was putting on myself because I wanted to put my best foot forward for the girls.”

Galway held a commanding 3-6 to 0-6 interval lead and Tracey Leonard was one of the stars throughout. But Davoren’s late knee injury was a big cause for concern.

For Mayo their 2018 comes to an early end after losing the league final to Dublin, and Connacht decider against Galway.

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Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

The loss of the Carnacon contingent hit them hard after the provincial final but manager Peter Leahy remains upbeat about the future.

“It was a disappointing way to go out and conceding five goals is disappointing. The best team won and there is no question about that,” said Leahy.

“We have gone through an awful lot of turmoil with what has gone on. But we have sorted an awful lot of problems out. We have now gone through 17 players who have had their championship debut this year.

“Between one and 15 we had only had three players who had played for Mayo before in the championship. This was the first year for everyone else.

“The inexperience showed there. But all they can do is get the experience from there. I am quite excited about it. All of them have got that opportunity. We are not that far off it.

We have a lot of work to do and a lot of people coming in. There is new blood.

“A lot of teams go through this transition from older to younger and that’s what we are looking to do to take this team forward.”

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DUBLIN MANAGER MICK Bohan says his players were entirely responsible for their brilliant second half display as they blew Kerry away with a stunning performance at Dr Hyde Park on Sunday.

The 18-point victory sets up a TG4 All-Ireland semi-final with Galway, the only team who have defeated Dublin competitively this year.

The Tribeswomen claimed a 1-17 to 1-15 win over Dublin at Abbotstown in March before Nicole Owens scored late for the reigning All-Ireland champions to deny Galway in the Lidl NFL semi-final.

But on Sunday it was the goals from Niamh McEvoy, Hannah O’Neill and Sinéad Aherne that ended Kerry’s year at the quarter-final stage.

“In the second half we completely controlled it and there were some really good scores kicked,” said Bohan.

“At this level of competition and the quality of the group that we are working with, we don’t really need to tell them.

“We give them small indicators of what they need to strive for but more often than not, they have the answers themselves before we present them at half-time.

Source: Eóin Noonan/SPORTSFILE

“They would have been disappointed with that first half but they bounced and put on a really good show in the second half.

“We will look forward to it now, two weeks’ time against Galway. They are a fine team. In the National League they beat us. In the semi-final we scored with the last kick, a goal, to win by a point.

“We know it’s going to be a fantastic challenge but we are prepared for that. We threw at them what we had in the league. We know that they are a fine team and it’s going to be a fantastic battle in the semi-final.”

Kerry were well in the game at half-time and only trailed by 0-9 to 1-3 after Emma Dineen’s strike. But Dublin had all of the momentum after the break.

For the Kingdom they reached an All-Ireland quarter-final on the back of being relegated from Division 1 this year. And manager Eddie Sheehy was pleased with the overall outlook.

“We did okay in the first half, losing Eilish O’Leary didn’t help us and it took us a small bit of time to get settled,” said Sheehy.

“There is big disappointment today because we had trained and worked hard to get into a quarter-final.

“We will look at the first half, how we played there, and the way we came into it at certain stages in the second half. And we will kick on from there.

“The team is young so there are going to get the experience from today. They are going to get the experience from the year that we had.

“Hopefully that will improve them then for next year.”

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SATURDAY NIGHT DREW a line under Galway’s 2018 football involvement and brought a close to a fourth year at the helm for their main man.

Kevin Walsh has held the managerial reins out west since the commencement of the 2015 season. Progress has been incremental – a round 4 exit in this first season, a pair of quarter-final losses and then this semi-final reversal at the hands of Dublin.

In the Galway camp there is a push for him to remain in that position when the 2019 campaign kicks into gear.

“I think it’s very important that he does stay on,” remarked experienced defender Gary O’Donnell afterwards.

“He has four years done and I think any of the top managers – Eamonn Fitzmaurice in Kerry had six, Jim Gavin in Dublin has six years.

“Kevin has built us and got us to where we are at the moment, so I think it’s very important that he stays on and keeps things going in the right direction.”

Dejected Galway players Ruairí Lavelle and Seán Andy Ó Ceallaigh after Saturday’s semi-final tie.

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Speaking after Saturday’s game, Walsh was not making any pronouncements on his future and instead wanted to reflect.

“Ah, to be honest, I’m not considering anything. I’m only a half an hour after getting bet. It’s not as simple as Kevin or any one person.

“There’s a backroom here of around 20 people, but things change – players change, management change, circumstances change – I just haven’t had time to reflect on that to be honest. I certainly will be reflecting on the year in my own time.

“I don’t know if we’ll be here next year. It’s a case of Galway closing the gap. It’s important that we are closing the gap on every other team as well, not Dublin, that we’re getting better.

“Time will tell, but it’s a young team in there but if they really want to put their shoulder to the wheel and do the extra bits required to catch up to Dublin, that’s the questions that they’ll have to ask themselves and that applies to management and everyone else – the county board – we have to push the boat out here to catch up with a team like Dublin.

“Everything that they have is well structured and it’s up to every county to get that balance to try and close the gap.”

O’Donnell feels their side have the capacity to improve.

Philly McMahon and Ian Burke after Saturday’s game.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

“We probably feel on reflection on that game that there is still probably a bit more in us. On reflection of the year, we ticked a lot of the boxes that we set out to at the start of the year, even though a lot of people might not think that.

“We had broken a few records that we hadn’t done before, we got to our first All-Ireland semi-final since 2001 and against one of the best teams of the modern era. We probably weren’t given a chance coming up here even by some of our own supporters.

“We have a young team, I think our average age is only 24 and a lot of lads are coming through and there’s progress being made, so it’s not all doom and gloom as well.

“Any of the boys that came into the squad had an immediate impact and they really freshened things up. Competition for places was greater than it’s every been, they hit the ground running and added a real impetus.

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“Especially in Division 1 football, there was no gimme games so any game they came into they performed really well and that stood to us in the championship as well.”

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