Galway manager Padraic Joyce praised his players' "composure" after they registered their first win of the Division 1 campaign at home to Tyrone.
With one point from two games and an expanding injury list, Galway saw off the 2021 All-Ireland champions in Tuam Stadium, in large part thanks to a bravura 10-minute period in the second half when they rattled off six points on the trot against the wind.
"I don't know about relief," Joyce told RTÉ Radio 1's Damien O'Meara afterwards.
"Before today, we had drawn a game away to Mayo, and lost a game at home by a point. So, it wasn't dire straits for us.
"We kept our composure. The big thing for us today was to get a performance out of the lads. We definitely did that in the second half. The first half was probably a bit patchy for us.
"But the second half, to a man, they stood up really well. They carried the ball really well bar the first three or four turnovers at the start of the second half, we controlled the ball really well and controlled the game. And we pushed on and got some great scores, delighted with the lads."
Things looked unpromising for the Connacht champions early in the second period. Aided by a ferocious wind, they nursed a comparatively modest four-point lead at the break, which was quickly whittled down to one by the 45th minute.
It seemed inevitable that Tyrone would soon hit the front but the visitors spurned a number of chances, and the hosts wrestled back the initiative, effectively killing the game between the 53rd and 63rd minutes, Paul Conroy, substitute Cathal Sweeney and the excellent Matthew Tierney coming to the fore.
While the narrative surrounding Galway in recent weeks has been dominated by talk of their absentees - Comer and Walsh principally - Joyce stresses that the panel he had to work with comprised of experienced Division 1 calibre players.
"All I can do as manager, and same with the coaches, is train the guys who are on the pitch in front of us. In fairness, the lads put in a huge shift.
"Cathal Sweeney came on and got three great scores. Sean Kelly got forward to score. When you're missing your main inside forwards, you need your other players on the pitch to get scores. That's what the lads did today.
"Ian Burke was really good inside, Paddy Kelly in his first game back, Mattie (Tierney) was outstanding for us at 10, kicked some great scores. Paul Conroy was outstanding at midfield. Just lads that carry the ball, that can play Division 1 football, who know what it takes. It was great to have that bit of experience that carried us through in the end."
In better news, Rob Finnerty made a surprisingly quick return to action, featuring for the final seven minutes this afternoon.
"What we had there today is what we have for the next couple of weeks," Joyce added.
"There's certain things we can control and there's certain things we can't control. The media isn't one of them" - Brian Dooher
Tyrone joint-manager Brian Dooher was left to rue that period early in the second half, when his side failed to capitalise on their dominance and allowed Galway to regain the momentum.
As for slight easing of the weather in the second half, which made shooting against the elements rather easier, Dooher wasn't inclined to peddle excuses.
"We had got ourselves into a good position in the second half, around the middle of it, but failed to push on. But once we didn't take those opportunities that presented themselves, Galway went up the field and put a bit of distance between us again.
"We had the chances. We just didn't take them the way we should. Maybe on another day, you'd have taken some of them. But it didn't happen for us today. But the good thing was we were still creating them. We'll take the positives out of it and move on.
"The conditions probably eased a bit in the second half. The rain in the first half didn't make it easy for us. But that's football, you have to adapt to it. Let's not make excuses."
Asked about Con Kilpatrick's recent comments - on the BBC's GAA Social podcast - asserting that there was an anti-Tyrone bias outside the county, Dooher flatly insisted the matter didn't concern him.
"It's not something we talk about. I'm not too aware of it. We just go out there and do the best we can. There's certain things we can control and there's certain things we can't control. The media isn't one of them.
"All I'm worried about is how we play out on the field. Anything else outside of that is irrelevant. It's just noise really."
