Galway 2-08 Roscommon 0-13
Roscommon surrendered their FBD League crown in a cracking contest at Tuam Stadium after Galway struck for two early goals.
Damien Comer was the hero for the Tribesmen when he fisted home twice in the opening five minutes to send them on the way to their seventh Connacht league title.
Both sides are bidding to end Mayo’s dominance in the province and they will be pleased with the quality of this game as they prepare for the start of the national league next Sunday.
It was Galway’s first title since 2009 after they beat Sligo, Leitrim and GMIT in the previous rounds.
The Tribesmen led 2-05 to 0-06 at half-time even though they played into the teeth of a stiff breeze in the first-half.
They did the damage in the first six minutes, and target-man Comer struck for his first after just 13 seconds.
Galway won a free and Fiontain O Curraoin’s long ball in was fisted to the net ahead of the Geoffrey Claffey in the Roscommon goal.
It wasn’t a great day for the goalkeeper who was drafted in as a late replacement for the injured Darren O’Malley.
Johnny Heaney and Senan Kilbride traded scores, before it got a whole lot worse for Roscommon, and the deadly Comer was responsible again.
This time it was another high ball from corner forward Eamon Brannigan and Roscommon were hapless to resist, as they ball rested in their net again.
Kieran Kilcline shot a much needed score for the three-time FBD League champions but Tom Flynn cancelled that out.
Galway didn’t score for another 12 minutes and three in a row from Roscommon brought them right back into it.
Senan Kilbride was a handful up front and notched his second, with Ciaran Murtagh and Scott Oates also on target.
Adrian Varley’s point in the 23rd minute ended the comeback and Comer’s third touch of the ball resulted in his third score, this time a wonderful point from the right.
Varley added a second before the break and the Tribesmen took a five-point lead into half-time, but they didn’t score again until the 49th minute.
Roscommon reduced the deficit to the minimum with points from Cian Connolly, (two) and Murtagh, and Murtagh’s third free of the day made it 2-05 to 0-10 with 13 minutes remaining.
A tonic Varley effort offered a reprieve for Galway and was a much-needed boost before free-takers Murtagh and Connolly levelled proceedings from the placed ball with six minutes left.
Roscommon were in charge but Johnny Heaney’s huge effort put Galway back in front, before substitute Shane Walsh sealed it with a late free, and Niall Daly’s effort was only a consolation.
Galway: T Dolan; D Wynne, D Kyne, E Kerin; L Silke, G O’Donnell, J Heaney (0-02); P Conroy, F O Curraoin; T Flynn (0-01), E Hoare, E Tierney; D Comer (2-01), A Varley (0-03), E Brannigan.
Subs used: S Walsh (0-01, 0-01f) for Hoare (48), P Mannion for Brannigan (59).
Roscommon: G Claffey; R Stack, T Featherston, N Collins; B Murtagh, N Daly, R Daly (0-01); E Smith, C Shine; S Oates (0-01), K Kilcline (0-01), C Murtagh (0-04, 0-04f); C Connolly (0-04, 0-03f), S Kilbride (0-02), C McHugh.
Subs used: S McDermott for Collins (h-t), N Kilroy for Kilcline (39), U Harney for Oates (43), F Kelly for Shine (46), Fintan Creff for Murtagh (54).
Referee: Declan Corcoran (Mayo).
