FBD League: It's a Galway-Mayo final
February 01, 2010Joe Kernan's Galway maintained their unbeaten start to the year with a 1-16 to 0-13 victory over GMIT at Moycullen, while the diminutive Mark Ronaldson bagged 1-6 as Mayo defeated Roscommon by 1-9 to 0-8 at Ballinlough.
Nicky Joyce scored six first half points, including four from play, to help the Tribesmen to a 1-10 to 0-3 interval lead. Michael Meehan marked his return to the Galway colours with a 15th minute goal, but the students, who play Dundalk IT in the Sigerson Cup on Wednesday, came storming back in the second half thanks to the accuracy of Donegal's Stephen Griffin and former Mayo minor Aidan Campbell.
Griffin kicked three frees without reply at the start of the second half, but GMIT never got within five points with a brace of points form Galway sub Paddy Kennedy helping to keep them at bay.
Mark Ronaldson's 37th minute penalty was the decisive score in Mayo's four-point win over Roscommon.
After a slow start to the game, Trevor Mortimer gave the visitors the lead in the 16th minute and they extended their advantage to three points by the 20th minute thanks to two Ronaldson frees.
But points from Ger Heneghan, Ian Kilbride and Gary Cox left Fergal O'Donnell's side just a point adrift at the break.
Two quick points from Heneghan and Cox on the restart gave Roscommon the lead before Ronaldson then equalised and he fired home a penalty after Enda Varley was fouled. Mayo did enough to keep the Rossies at arm's length after that with points from Ronaldson and Andy Moran sealing the win.
The final has been fixed for Saturday, February 20, but before then, Galway and Mayo meet in the opening round of the National League next Sunday.
Meanwhile, Sligo dominated the closing stages of their clash with Leitrim at Carrick-on-Shannon to win by 1-12 to 0-9. Three second half points from Emlyn Mulligan brought Leitrim level in the 46th minute, but Sligo replied with three points of their own as well as an Adrian Marren goal.
In the day's other game at Ballinode, a late Danny Cummins point handed IT Sligo a 1-7 to 0-9 victory over NUIG. Galway star Sean Armstrong hit 0-5 for NUIG, but it wasn't enough to save them from defeat. Tweet
