All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Qualifiers Round 1 – Galway 1-12 Tipperary 0-11

Galway defeated Tipperary by 1-12 to 0-11 in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Qualifiers Round 1 on Saturday in Pearse Stadium Galway.

Relief for the Tribe as Tipp test passed

Galway 1-12 Tipperary 0-11

By John Fallon for the Irish Examiner newspaper

There was no great air of celebration in Salthill on Saturday, and no reason for it either. Galway finally ended their losing run in the qualifiers but relief rather than rejoicing was the reaction. They knew they had come close to extending a dreadful run in the qualifiers which stretched back to 2004.  In the end, though, they deserved their victory on a night when two sides tried to put 17-point humiliations behind them in their respective provincial quarter-final losses to Mayo and Kerry.

Those beatings had taken a toll, perhaps more so in Galway where they suffered the drubbing in their own backyard at the expense of their biggest rivals. And manager Alan Mulholland admitted it had been a battle to get the troops back into formation.

“The last six weeks were hard for everybody… for the management, for the players, for all the support staff as well. Coming off that record defeat to Mayo wasn’t easy.  “But I would like to pay tribute to the players, in particular, and all the management team, nothing could be asked of them for the last six weeks. We trained harder in the last six weeks than we have trained all year and everybody did what they were asked to do. “We hadn’t won a qualifier since 2004 and that kept coming back at us but at least we put that right. It is one small step but at least we are in the bowl on Monday.”

Tipperary adopted excellent tactics in the first half against the wind, getting players behind the ball and then working it forward patiently.  They should have been ahead at the break but seven wides, five of them from placed balls, emphasised the loss of the injured Barry Grogan and undermined their challenge.

Galway had nine wides in that opening period, often being forced to shoot from poor positions in a crowded defence but after the sides exchanged points five times, man of the match Sean Armstrong edged the Tribesmen 0-6 to 0-5 in front at the break.  “We put a lot of energy into the first half playing into the breeze, and in the second half our plan was to push on but in fairness to Galway, they hit hard in the third quarter,” said Tipperary manager Peter Creedon.

Mark Hehir put two points between the sides for the first time shortly after the restart and Armstrong also found the range.  Peter Acheson and Danny Cummins then swapped points before the key score of the game. Cummins, full of running, floated in a high effort from the right. The wind stopped it going over the bar but it broke kindly for Michael Farragher and the debutant from Corofin slotted low into the bottom right corner and suddenly Galway were ahead by double scores, 1-9 to 0-6.  “A goal was always going to be a major score in and we were lucky enough to get it,” said Mulholland.

Galway extended the lead to eight points before Tipp, to their credit, rallied and came with a good surge in the final quarter but the goal just would not come, although Creedon could not fault the effort from his injury-ravaged side.  “Our lads showed fantastic character and spirit, as they have all year, after the goal. But there is one thing about this Tipp team — they keep going to the end and with a bit of luck could have got over the line.

“There was only one team playing in the last quarter of an hour and that was us but the goal didn’t come and Galway hung on and I wish them the best of luck. We were well in the game at half-time, could have been ahead at that stage and we are disappointed in the second half that we didn’t push on but give credit to Galway, they got some good scores but a lucky goal as well but sometimes you need luck in the qualifiers,” said Creedon.

Scorers for Galway: S Armstrong 0-4 (1f), M Farragher 1-1, D Cummins 0-3, M Meehan 0-2 (1f), M Hehir 0-1, P Conroy 0-1.

Scorers for Tipperary: C Sweeney 0-6 (3f), B O’Brien 0-2, B Fox 0-1, H Coghlan 0-1, S O’Brien 0-1.

GALWAY: M Breathnach; C Forde, F Hanley, K Kelly; C Doherty, G O’Donnell, G Sice; P Conroy, G Higgins; J O’Brien; S Armstrong, M Farragher; M Hehir, M Meehan, D Cummins.

Subs for Galway: T Flynn for Higgins (50), S Walsh for J O’Brien (54), M Martin for Meehan (60), F O Curraoin for Farragher (61), D O’Neill for Sice (64).

Subs for Tipperary: B Mulvihill for Lynch (49), B O’Brien for Fahey (56), A Matassa for S O’Brien (60).

Referee: P O’Sullivan (Kerry)

Galway 1-12 Tipperary 0-11

Report from the RTE.ie web site

A goal from debutant Michael Farragher helped Galway get out of jail at Pearse Stadium as they end a losing run in the qualifiers which stretches back to 2004 with a 1-12 to 0-11 victory over Tipperary. Galway were in trouble when they led by just 0-06 to 0-05 at the break having played with the strong wind but they produced a big third quarter to see off the Premiermen. Two points directly after the restart from Mark Hehir and Sean Armstrong pushed them three points in front.

Peter Acheson and Danny Cummins exchanged points but then a floated ball from Cummins was punched out to Farragher and he slotted the ball into the bottom right corner and suddenly Galway were ahead by double scores. It was all so different in the opening half when the sides exchanged points five times. Galway, who hit nine wides, struggled to break down the Tipp defence as the visitors crowded their rearguard and then worked the ball up the field.

Tipp, indeed, should have been ahead at the break but seven wides undermined their challenge. Conor Sweeney hit four of them from placed balls but landed three excellent efforts from play. Armstrong and Michael Meehan did most to lift a sluggish Galway side and Armstrong’s third point just before the interval edged them 0-6 to 0-5 in front at the break.

But it did not look like it would be enough given the strong wind, but Galway lifted their game after the restart and Farragher’s goal put them in the driving seat. Tipperary, despite being ravaged by injuries, never gave up and three points from frees by Sweeney and a couple from play by sub Bernard O’Brien ensured anxious moments for the Galway supporters in the crowd of 3,608.

But Tipperary never looked like getting the goal they required to lift their comeback, although Sweeney went close in the dying moments but Galway goalkeeper Manus Breathnach brought off another good save as the Tribesmen ended their seven-match losing run in the qualifiers and booked their place in the next round.

Galway: M Breathnach; C Forde, F Hanley, K Kelly; C Doherty, G O’Donnell, G Sice: P Conroy (0-01), G Higgins; J O’Brien, S Armstrong (0-04), M Farragher (1-01); M Hehir (0-01), M Meehan (0-02, 0-01f), D Cummins (0-03).

Subs used: D O’Neill for Sice (64), T Flynn for O’Brien (68), F O Curraoin for Farragher (61), M Martin for Meehan (60).

Tipperary: P Fitzgerald; A Morrissey, P Codd, J Coghlan; B Fox (0-01), D Lynch, D Leahy; H Coghlan (0-01), S O’Brien; L Allen, P Acheson (0-01), I Fahey; C Sweeney (0-05), P Quirke, G Hannigan.

Subs used: B O’Brien (0-02) for Fahey 56, A Matassa (0-01) for S O’Brien 60, B Mulvihill for Lynch 49.

Galway 1-12 Tipperary 0-11

Report from gaa.ie

Michael Farragher’s goal was crucial for Galway as they defeated Tipperary at Pearse Stadium on Saturday night to record a rare win in the Qualifiers and move into Round 2.

Farragher’s goal after 48 minutes put Alan Mulholland’s side 1-9 to 0-6 in front, and that buffer was enough to withstand a spirited Tipperary fightback in the final 10 minutes.

Galway played with the wind in the opening half, but they trailed 0-4 to 0-3 after a low-scoring opening 25 minutes, with points from Conor Sweeney and Hugh Coghlan edging Tipperary just ahead with half-time approaching.

Galway finished the first half strongly though, and aided by points from Paul Conroy, Michael Meehan and Seán Armstrong, led 0-6 to 0-5 at the interval.

The Connacht side looked a much fiercer prospect after the restart, and they went 0-9 to 0-6 in front just before Farragher’s goal, which he took well after receiving a pass from Danny Cummins.

Galway led by nine points at 1-12 to 0-6 with an hour played, but Tipperary battled hard and kicked the final five points of the game, with three from Sweeney and two from Stephen O’Brien, to finish up just four shy of the Tribesmen, who will be in the pot for the Round 2 Qualifier draw on Monday morning.

Fixture Details

29.06.2013 (Sat)

GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Round 1

Pearse Stadium 19:00

Gaillimh v Tiobraid Árann

Referee: Padraig O’Sullivan (Ciarraí)

(E.T. if Necessary)

It’s the first championship clash between the counties since 1902 when Tipperary beat Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final. Galway were beaten by Antrim (0-11 to 0-10) in the Round 2 qualifiers last year while Tipperary beat Offaly (1-12 to 1-10), Wexford (1-13 to 0-15) and Antrim (0-10 to 0-8) before losing to Down by 1-13 to 0-11 in Round 4.

2013 Championship Results to date

Mayo 4-16 Galway 0-11

Kerry 2-19 Tipperary 0-8

Team News

The Tipperary senior football team to play Galway is as follows – 

1. Paul Fitzgerald (Fethard)
2. Andrew Morrissey (Galtee Rovers) 
3. Paddy Codd (Killenaule) Captain
4. Donal Lynch (Clonmel Commercials)
5. Brian Fox (Eire Og Annacarty Donohill)
6. John Coghlan (Moyne Templetuohy)
7. Donagh Leahy (Arravale Rovers)
8. Lorcan Egan (JK Brackens)
9. Steven O’Brien (Ballina)
10. Philip Austin (Borrisokane)
11. Peter Acheson (Moyle Rovers) 
12. Ian Fahey (Clonmel Commercials)
13. Conor Sweeney (Ballyporeen)
14. Philip Quirke (Moyle Rovers) 
15. George Hannigan (Shannon Rovers)