Last-gasp Costello goal sinks Monivea-Abbey in thriller

Dunmore take the honours in clash that produced nine goals

Dunmore MacHales 4-17

Monivea-Abbey 5-13

HAS there ever been a Galway Senior Football Championship match quite like it?

Nine goals over the hour. Seven in the second half. Four in the closing five minutes. Three when all hell broke loose in injury-time.

When the music finally stopped, Colm Costello was the Dunmore hero after setting the net dancing at the town end, snatching back a victory that looked to be heading Monivea-Abbey's way when Lee Kenny slid home at the opposite end just seconds earlier.

With Glenn Kelly on his way to a haul of 2-9 and Trevor Mullins causing havoc on the edge of the square, Monivea-Abbey had come alive in the second half and took their first lead in the final minute of injury-time. It wasn't enough, however.

Dunmore departed Tuam Stadium with plenty to ponder, not least conceding 4-8 in 30 minutes of football. Yet, they left with what they came for ahead of a top of the table Group 3 clash with Maigh Cuilinn.

The winners flew out of the blocks. They led by 1-7 to 0-2 on 20 minutes, 1-10 to 1-5 at half-time, and were still in control with a 1-13 to 1-8 advantage on 40 minutes.

Padraig Costello was the right man in the right place at the right time to shoot 1-4 for the MacHales up to that juncture. Matthew Redington and Shane McGrath both thumped over two-pointers.

Glenn Kelly is one of the best finishers around and his classily taken goal on 24 minutes and orange flag after the break was, to a large degree, why Monivea-Abbey remained in touch.

Shane King's goal on 40 minutes then cut the deficit to just two and though Denis Farragher pulled off the latest in his long list of penalty saves from Colm Costello, the latter tucked away the rebound that was followed by a Sean Murray point and left it 2-14 to 2-8 on 45 minutes.

That's when things started to get really interesting. Monivea-Abbey took advantage of a porous Dunmore defence when Trevor Mullins turned the ball home after a Brian Moran shot was saved by Connor Gleeson.

Colm Costello scored 2-4 alone in the second half and his scores appeared to be keeping Monivea-Abbey at arm's length until Kelly's impressive free-taking accuracy cut the gap to just one on 57 minutes.

Dunmore struck for another goal when Shane McGrath ghosted inside the cover and blasted to the top corner. Mullins boxed over at the opposite end and the score stood at 3-16 to 3-13 entering added time. Incredibly, there was still time for three more goals.

The irrepressible Kelly finished the first of them to level matters for Monivea-Abbey as excitement levels soared. Sub Shane Mitchell nudged Dunmore back in front and seemingly to victory until a magnificent Monivea-Abbey move carved open Dunmore and Lee Kenny applied the finish.

Two points up, Monivea-Abbey were one last defensive stand away from a famous win. There would be a twist in the tale, however, as Padraig Costello flicked on to his younger brother Colm and the Galway panellist finished with conviction to land the spoils for Dunmore.

A remarkable game of football.

DUNMORE MACHALES: C. Gleeson; F. Cronin, C. Comer, C. Meehan; D. Brady, S. Murray (0-1), L. Murray; M. Redington (captain, 0-3, one 0-2 score), S. McGrath (1-3, one 0-2 score); R. Walkin, T. Gleeson, J. Slattery (0-1); B. Murray, P. Costello (1-4, 0-1 free), C. Costello (2-4 (one 0-2 score). Subs: S. Mitchell (0-1), for Brady, 36 mins; B. Carr, for Walkin, 48 mins; N. Rattigan, for B. Murray, 49 mins; D. Forde, for Meehan, 51 mins; D. Hannon, for L. Murray, 60 mins.

MONIVEA-ABBEY: D. Farragher; R. Maloney, J. Burke, C. Mannion; C. Dolan, L. Kenny (1-1), D. Burke (0-1); T. Mullins (1-2), A. Ryan; S. King (1-0), C. McDaid, G. Kelly (2-9, two 0-2 frees), 0-3 frees, 0-1 45); L. Ryan, P. Mullins, N. Mannion. Subs: B. Moran, for Mullins, half-time; J. Collins, for L. Ryan, 45 mins; K. O'Reilly, for C. Mannion, 60+2 mins.

REFEREE: Austin O'Connell.

HERALD SPORT MAN OF THE MATCH:

Glenn Kelly (Monivea-Abbey).