First half goals fire Galway into last eight

Walsh, Hernon and Tierney net against Westmeath

Galway 3-21

Westmeath2-21

GALWAY have taken the front door to the All-Ireland quarter-finals following a three-point victory over Westmeath in a sun-baked, sold out Pearse Stadium.

The Tribesmen’s win in front of more than 24,000 maroon and white supporters was built on three goals in the first half from Shane Walsh, Cian Hernon and Matthew Tierney. The Oughterard man’s goal came seconds before the half-time whistle, giving Galway a 3-9 to 1-8 lead over the Leinster champions. It turned out to be a crucial score and ended a 10-minute scoreless period.

Galway kept Westmeath at arm’s length for most of the second half as Shane Walsh picked off four points and assisted a few more.

Galway dominated the midfield contest, where Céin D’Arcy was a powerful presence making several marks from kickouts in both halves alongside the evergreen 37-year-old Paul Conroy who finished with five points.

Not many ties in Gaelic football are safe now and Galway games often finish in one-score results. A nine-point Galway lead in minute 65 soon became two with less than a minute to play after a goal from Westmeath sub Jack Duncan and a magnificent two-pointer from Sam McCartan - grandson of the late, great Sean Purcell.

Damien Comer caught the following Connor Gleeson kickout and Shane McGrath finished an overlap with a fisted point to seal the win.

This result means that no team left in the All-Ireland championship is unbeaten and no provincial winner has gone straight through to the last eight.

Galway have been down the dreaded preliminary quarter-final route the past three seasons, but have a week off ahead of a return to Croke Park on what is set to be a blockbuster quarter-final weekend.

GALWAY: C. Gleeson; J. Glynn, C. Hernon (1-0), L. Silke; D. McHugh, S. Kelly (0-1), J.Daly; P. Conroy (0-5, one 0-2 score), J. Maher (captain); C. D’Arcy (0-2), M. Tierney (1-2), C. McDaid; R. Finnerty (0-3), F. McDonagh, S. Walsh (1-4, 0-1 free). Subs: K. Molloy (0-1), for Kelly temporary, 5-10 mins; S. McGrath (0-2), for McDonagh, 24 mins; D. Comer, for McDaid, 50 mins; K. Molloy, for Daly, 61 mins; D. O’Flaherty (0-1), for Finnerty, 62 mins; S. Ó Maoilcharáin, for Conroy, 66 mins.

WESTMEATH: J. Daly; D. Scahill, C. Drumm, C. Dillon; T. Baker (0-2), S. Allen, S. McCartan (0-4, one 0-2 score); B. Cooney (0-1), R. Connellan (0-1); K. O’Sullivan (0-1), R. Wallace (1-2, one 0-2 score, captain), M. Whittaker; S. Baker (0-2, 0-1 free, 0-1 mark), J. Heslin (0-4, 0-4 frees), B. Kelly (0-2). Subs: S. Corcoran, for S. Baker, temporary, 5-16 mins; H. Niall, for Cooney, half-time; S. Ormsby, for Connellan inj., 40 mins; J. Duncan (1-0), for Whittaker, 48 mins; S. Corcoran, for Kelly, 61 mins; R. Forde (0-2, one 0-2 score), for Niall, 65 mins.

REFEREE: Brendan Griffin (Kerry).