Shane Walsh still going strong for Galway
Our Senior Footballer, Shane Walsh discusses the dramatic win over Armagh, enjoying the game, the emergence of Matthew Thompson, and Sunday’s clash against Down.
Click here to listen to the interview.
Our Senior Footballer, Shane Walsh discusses the dramatic win over Armagh, enjoying the game, the emergence of Matthew Thompson, and Sunday’s clash against Down.
Click here to listen to the interview.
The draws for the 2025 Bon Secours Hospital sponsored Senior, Peter Curran Electrical sponsored Intermediate and OCC Construction sponsored Primary Junior Football Championship Draws are as follows:
Bon Secours Hospital Sponsored Senior Football Championship Draw
Group A | Group B |
Salthill-Knocknacarra | Maigh Cuilinn |
Mountbellew-Moylough | CP Bhearna na Forbacha |
St Michaels | St James |
Oughterard | Killannin |
Group C | Group D |
Tuam Stars | Corofin |
Claregalway | Monivea-Abbey |
Dunmore MacHales | Naomh Anna Leitir Móir |
Annaghdown | Milltown |
Peter Curran Electrical Sponsored Intermediate Football Championship Draw
Group A | Group B |
Oranmore-Maree | Caherlistrane |
Cortoon Shamrocks | St. Gabriels’ |
Mícheál Breathnach | Oileáin Árann |
St. Brendans | Corofin |
Group C | Group D |
Caltra | Glenamaddy |
Kilkerrin-Clonberne | An Cheathrú Rua |
Menlough | Kilconly |
Clifden | An Spideál |
OCC Construction sponsored Primary Junior North Board Championship Draw
Group A | Group B |
Headford | Annaghdown |
Athenry | Mountbellew/Moylough |
Williamstown | Claregalway |
Ballinasloe | Corofin |
Killererin | Tuam Stars |
OCC Construction sponsored Primary Junior West Board Championship Draw
Group A | Group B |
Carna-Cashel | St Michaels |
Renvyle | St James’ |
An Fhairche | Salthill/Knocknacarra |
Fr Griffins/Eire Og | Maigh Cuilinn |
All-Ireland SFC Group Four
Galway 2-22 (2-2-18) Armagh 0-27 (0-4-19)
By Cian O’Connell at Kingspan Breffni
The drama. It just seems to be guaranteed when Galway and Armagh meet. This was the latest addition to the story as Galway staged a remarkable comeback mission in Cavan.
Shane Walsh’s free at the end of an absorbing capped a terrific Galwegian revival. As the white flag was being raised, Padraic Joyce shook hands with his pal, Kieran McGeeney. Undoubtedly, Galway’s need was greater, but Armagh played their part in another thriller involving the counties.
Trailing by nine points at one stage in the opening period, Galway were in deep distress. It was a half in which Galway registered 0-1 from two penalty attempts.
Armagh had commenced the match with admirable determination and dynamism. The running power in Kieran McGeeney’s panel was causing Galway significant problems.
That Armagh had a string of footballers capable of drilling scores from deep was another key factor. Two pointers were slotted impressively. At that stage, Galway were simply hanging on in there.
Seán Fitzgerald was doughty at full-back when Galway were ailing. Armagh were demonstrating their considerable class.
Goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty rifled over a gorgeous two pointer. Rian O’Neill and Peter McGrane added further scores to guide Armagh four clear.
Then, Rafferty saved a ninth minute penalty from Matthew Tierney. Walsh replied with a couple of nice scores from play for Galway, but Armagh were relishing the exchanges.
A burst from the All-Ireland champions, featuring a sweet two pointer from Niall Grimley edged them 0-9 to 0-2 ahead.
Peter Cooke responded for Galway with a similarly impressive effort from range, but Armagh were dictating the agenda.
Armagh’s cushion was 0-12 to 0-4 when a second Galway penalty culminated with Finnerty rifling the ball over the bar.
Cian McConville, Armagh, and Jack Glynn, Galway, in All-Ireland SFC action. Photo by: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
McGeeney’s charges continued to probe and when Rafferty nailed a two pointer free they were nine to the good. When the hooter sounded, Galway crafted one more chance for Walsh, who converted. So, it was 0-15 to 0-7 in favour of Armagh at the turnaround.
The Galway riposte was passionate and purposeful. Aware that their Championship was on the line, Galway thundered back into the reckoning.
Cooke and the splendid Cillian McDaid narrowed the deficit before John Maher palmed a tonic 39th minute goal. Finnerty, assuming responsibility, and Dylan McHugh were heavily involved in the build-up.
Suddenly, Galway acquired belief. When Walsh clipped over a point the gap was down to two. Game on.
There was a real tempo to the match now. Armagh led 0-17 to 1-12 following a point from Ross McQuillan, who was prominent throughout.
Walsh levelled from a two point free. Finnerty and McDaid quickly added points for Galway, but then Armagh enjoyed a brilliant flurry.
Five points on the spin from McQuillan, Cian McConville, Rafferty, Tieran Kelly, and Jarly Óg Burns altered the complexion once more.
Galway stayed cool. Substitute Cathal Sweeney curled over a point prior to supplying the pass for his Salthill-Knocknacarra colleague Rob Finnerty, who netted a 57th minute goal.
Joyce’s battling outfit were ahead by the slimmest of margins, 2-17 to 0-22. From then until the finish it remained intense.
Galway were 2-20 to 0-24 in the ascendancy when Rafferty landed a 66th minute free. Parity restored. Again.
Walsh manufactured sufficient space to squeeze Galway in front. Armagh substitute Shane McPartlan levelled.
The hooter sounded and following a foul on Galway’s instrumental substitute, Paul Conroy, Walsh struck over the free. Galway’s name will be in the bowl on Monday morning. It was all that counted.
Scorers for Galway: Shane Walsh 0-9 (1 2ptf, 1f), Rob Finnerty 1-4 (0-1 pen), John Maher 1-0, Peter Cooke 0-3 (1 2pt), Cillian McDaid 0-2, Céin D’Arcy, Matthew Tierney, Paul Conroy, Cathal Sweeney 0-1 each.
Scorers for Armagh: Ethan Rafferty 0-7 (2 2ptfs), Niall Grimley (1 2pt), Cian McConville, and Ross McQuillan 0-3 each, Darragh McMullan 0-2 (2pt), Peter McGrane, Tiernan Kelly, Jarly Óg Burns, Rian O’Neill, Andrew Murnin, Jason Duffy, Stefan Campbell, Shane McPartlan, and Conor Turbitt 0-1 each.
Galway: Conor Flaherty; Cillian McDaid, Seán Fitzgerald, Johnny McGrath; Jack Glynn, Seán Kelly, Dylan McHugh; John Maher, Peter Cooke; Liam Silke, Matthew Thompson, Céin D’Arcy; Rob Finnerty, Shane Walsh, Matthew Tierney.
Subs: Paul Conroy for Tierney (34), Daniel O’Flaherty for Silke (HT), Cian Hernon for Fitzgerald (47), Cathal Sweeney for McHugh (54), Matthew Tierney for Cooke (59), Johnny Heaney for McDaid (68).
Armagh: Ethan Rafferty; Peter McGrane, Barry McCambridge, Paddy Burns; Ross McQuillan, Tiernan Kelly, Jarly Óg Burns; Niall Grimley, Joe McElroy; Cian McConville, Jason Duffy, Darragh McMullan; Conor Turbitt, Andrew Murnin, Rian O’Neill.
Subs: Tomas McCormack for McCambridge (20), Greg McCabe for P Burns (HT), Stefan Campbell for Duffy (54), Connaire Mackin for Grimley (59), Oisín Conaty for McMullan (63), Shane McPartlan for McConville (65).
Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).
The Galway Senior Football team to face Armagh in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Group 4 Round 3 fixture is announced:
GALWAY V ARMAGH
📍Kingspan Breffni, Cavan
🗓️Saturday 14th June 2025
🕓6.30PM
📺Watch Live on GAA+
📲Live Score updates via WhatstheScór App on our X feed
📻Radio Commentary on Galway Bay FM, RnaG Spórt
Match Tickets on Sale online and in Centra and SuperValu Stores
Purchase tickets online here
https://www.ticketmaster.ie/event/180062C4948722B5
Best of Luck to Padraic Joyce, Team Management and our Senior Footballers!
#riseofthetribes
#gaillimhabú
The Galway Senior Football team to face Derry in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Group 4 Round 2 fixture is announced:
GALWAY V DERRY
📍Celtic Park, Derry
🗓️Sunday 1st June 2025
🕓2.00PM
📺Watch Live on GAA+
📲Live Score updates via WhatstheScór App on our X feed
📻Galway Bay FM, RnaG Spórt
Match Tickets on Sale online and in Centra and SuperValu Stores
Purchase tickets online here
https://am.ticketmaster.com/gaa/ism/MjVDRTAxMDY=
Best of Luck to Padraic Joyce, Team Management and our Senior Footballers!
#riseofthetribes
#gaillimhabú
All-Ireland SFC Group Four
Dublin 1-18 Galway 2-14
By Cian O’Connell at Pearse Stadium
It sizzled from start to finish in Salthill on an evening that was all about Dublin’s defiance.
Ultimately, Tom Lahiff’s last gasp point earned Dublin a win that was both encouraging and valuable. Following the bitterly disappointing Leinster SFC defeat against Meath, Dublin summoned a gutsy response in the west.
Dessie Farrell’s outfit were primed for a battle, adequately dealing with a couple of second half Galway goals when stern questions were being posed by the Connacht champions. Dublin, though, were durable and did enough to glean the spoils.
With Ciarán Kilkenny influential, Dublin enjoyed a productive opening period, departing at the break 1-9 to 0-8 ahead.
Initially, Galway, prompted by the splendid Rob Finnerty, moved 0-6 to 0-3 in front, but Dublin were unperturbed.
Con O’Callaghan was beginning to motor smoothly with Dublin pouncing for a crucial 20th minute goal. Liam Silke was stripped of the ball, with Cormac Costello scampering clear to make the Galway net dance.
Seán Bugler and O’Callaghan added scores for Dublin, who assumed a 1-6 to 0-6 advantage.
Finnerty gathered a gorgeous Matthew Thompson pass to trim the deficit with a Galway point, but Dublin rifled over three of the next four scores before the break.
Galway thundered back immediately after the restart. Cillian McDaid’s delivery was expertly controlled by Thompson, who mined a tonic Galway goal.
Finnerty and Thompson briskly added points to steer Galway 1-10 to 1-9 ahead. Dublin stayed cool and composed.
A Costello free restored parity, and then Brian O’Leary, the increasingly prominent Lorcan O’Dell, and Kilkenny supplied further points.
Dublin were four to the good, 1-16 to 1-12, when Galway struck for a 55th minute goal. Another McDaid effort caused panic with John Maher and Matthew Tierney keeping the ball alive for Finnerty to palm a goal.
Kieran Molloy’s cute pass enabled Maher to level matters again with 10 minutes left. The drama was continuing to unfold.
Kilkenny crafted an opportunity that Costello converted. John Daly provided an assist for Matthew Tierney to get Galway back on terms.
When the need was greatest Lahiff clipped over a sweet winner in the dying embers of an entertaining tussle.
A Croke Park contest against Armagh is next for Dublin. Galway make the long trek to Celtic Park for a match with Derry that can certainly be classed in the critical category.
Scorers for Dublin: Cormac Costello 1-3 (2fs), Con O’Callaghan, Seán Bugler, and Lorcan O’Dell 0-3 each, Ciarán Kilkenny and Killian McGinnis 0-2 each, Tom Lahiff and Brian O’Leary 0-1 each.
Scorers for Galway: Rob Finnerty 1-6 (1 2pt, 1f), Matthew Thompson 1-1, Shane Walsh (2pt) and Matthew Tierney 0-2 each, Johnny McGrath, John Maher, and Cilian McDaid 0-1 each.
Dublin: Stephen Cluxton; Seán MacMahon, Theo Clancy, David Byrne; Seán Bugler, Brian Howard, Alex Gavin; Ciarán Kilkenny, Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne; Killian McGinnis, Lorcan O’Dell, Cormac Costello; Brian O’Leary, Colm Basquel, Con O’Callaghan.
Subs: Tom Lahiff for O’Callaghan (45), Niall Scully for O’Leary (50), Cian Murphy for Clancy (53-55, temp), Cian Murphy for Gavin (55), Greg McEnaney for McGinnis (60), Luke Breathnach for Bugler (62).
Galway: Connor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Liam Silke, Seán Ó Maoilchiaráin; Dylan McHugh, Seán Kelly, Cian Hernon; Paul Conroy, John Maher; Céin D’Arcy, Shane Walsh, Cillian McDaid; Matthew Thompson, Rob Finnerty, Matthew Tierney.
Subs: Peter Cooke for Thompson (41-53, temp), Kieran Molloy for Conroy (53), Peter Cooke for Seán Kelly (53-60, temp), Daniel O’Flaherty for Hernon (55), Peter Cooke for Shane Walsh (60), Tomo Culhane for D’Arcy (65), John Daly for Silke (67).
Referee: David Gough (Meath).
The Galway Senior Football team to face Dublin in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Group 4 Round 1 fixture is announced:
GALWAY V DUBLIN
📍Pearse Stadium, Salthill
🗓️Saturday 17th May 2025
🕓5.00PM
📺Watch Live on GAA+
📲Live Score updates via WhatstheScór App on our X feed
📻Galway Bay FM, RnaG Spórt
Match Tickets on Sale online and in Centra and SuperValu Stores
Purchase tickets online here https://www.ticketmaster.ie/galway-v-antrim-leinster-senior-hurling-co-galway-17-05-2025/event/1800627BE94088DF
You can also avail of Galway Sam Maguire Cup Group Stage 3 Match Package, click link below
https://am.ticketmaster.com/gaa/buy/galwaysm3mp
Best of Luck to Padraic Joyce, Team Management and our Senior Footballers!
#riseofthetribes
#gaillimhabú
Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Football Tier 2 Championship Preliminary Quarter-Final team news
GALWAY V MEATH
🗓️Friday 16th May 2025
📍Páirc Tailteann, Navan
🕖7.00pm
Admission is Free – Match Tickets not required
Best of Luck to Neil, team management and the squad!
Ahead of Round 1 of the Football Championship Group fixtures, there are group stage ticket packages available for Galway online here:
https://am.ticketmaster.com/gaa/buy/galwaysm3mp
The package covers the three Group Stage matches and essentially works out as ‘3 for 2’ on Adult tickets.
Ticket sales close for each county on the Friday night before the Round 1 match.
By Cian O’Connell
“For me, it was a brilliant game of football,” Galway manager Padraic Joyce reflected following a compelling Connacht SFC Final.
Ultimately, Galway finished strongly kicking three of the last four points to prevail. Galway led by eight at the break before Mayo, backed by a significant breeze, thundered back.
Joyce, though, relished the combat. “The way football should be played,” the Killererin clubman added.
“Both teams went out and went at it really hard. Hard hits, hard tackles, all fair, in fairness. A bit of pulling and dragging off the ball on kickouts, that is expected. Overall, it was a brilliant game of football.
“I know Mayo will rue the chances they missed at the end, but for us to eke out the result against the wind, under pressure on our kickout, eight point lead at half-time, conceded a goal straight away at the start, on the back foot, for me, I think our lads showed great character at the end.”
The fact that Galway’s substitutes contributed encouraged Joyce. “We got a huge impact from our lads on the bench,” he added.
“We were saying it all week, the bench we have is strong enough to come in, to perform. Cian Hernon was superb.
“Peter Cooke, Cathal Sweeney worked really hard in fairness and unfortunately, I said to him there, we had to make a tactical decision with Peter to get a bigger man on the pitch.
“The other boys were going really well. Liam (Ó Conghaile) kicked a score which was great.”
Joyce also acknowledged a crucial late intervention from Dylan McHugh. “Look, he is a great defender Dylan,” Joyce remarked. “Again, he got forced across the pitch. Cein D’Arcy got a great block as well. Again fair play to Paddy and the officials, they kept control of the game.
“We all went mad on the line at some stages, but it just shows what it means to us to come down and win this game. Mayo are the same.
“All this talk about draws last week, both teams wanted to win a Connacht championship. That is the way it should be. That is why the provincials to me are very important.”