CHAMPIONSHIP EXIT: The Galway ladies reflect after their defeat to Mayo in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final at MacHale Park, Castlebar on Monday.PHOTOS: PIARAS Ó MÍDHEACH | SPORTSFILE

‘We left ourselves too much to do’

GALWAY football and hurling teams have come out on the wrong side of several topsy-turvy championship encounters this summer, where fortunes have fluctuated wildly, and no lead is a safe one.

Bank Holiday Monday's All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to old rivals Mayo ended their Brendan Martin Cup aspirations and while their spirit never wavered, Galway were unable to wipe out the sizeable gap that stood at eight points by the interval and stretched to nine approaching the second water break.

A Mairéad Seoighe goal lit the blue touch paper on Galway's revival but it was the only one of five goal chances that beat Mayo custodian Laura Brennan in the third quarter, as the winners weathered the storm after their advantage was cut to a goal with the best part of nine minutes remaining.

“There's no doubt about [Galway's character] but we probably left ourselves too much to do on this occasion,” said manager Gerry Fahy.

Read our full coverage in this week's edition of The Tuam Herald, on sale in shops and online www.tuamherald.ie