Galway 1-10
Sligo 1-10

14-man Galway came from behind to earn a draw with Sligo this afternoon at Pearse Stadium in the Connacht SFC semi-final.

Joe Kernan's team looked dead and buried as a poor first-half performance saw them trail by nine points at the interval against a Sligo side that looked to be cruising after David Kelly's 28th minute goal.

In the second-half, the Yeats men went defensive and invited a Galway side which only registered 0-2 in the first 35 minutes on to them and it was the worst thing they could have done as their opponents were ignited by talisman Padraig Joyce, who rolled back the years by scoring 0-6.

The introduction of Michael Meehan five minutes into the restart also made a huge significance and brought more cuteness into the Tribesmen's attack as they managed to make it a four-point game by the second minute of injury-time when Joyce set-up Eoin Concannon for life-line goal and in the next attack Meehan won a questionable free in front of goal that Gareth Bradshaw couldn't miss to force a replay.

It took four minutes for the opener to arrive through a fisted point from Joe Bergin, who showed good strength to brush off his man, but the visitors' response was excellent after their captain Charlie Harrison squandered their first chance.

All Star Eamon O'Hara - operating at full-forward - came out to left-half forward for his first touch and was hacked down in a position which suited Colm McGee to dart over the resultant free from the ground and get Sligo off the mark. A minute later David Kelly was fed inside to fire the Yeats men into the lead.

A simple Padraig Joyce levelled things again, but Sligo began to get on top and with the strong breeze at their backs sailed over two sublime points through 40-yards men Alan Costello and Mark Breheny to move two in front.

Galway looked dangerous though, with big Joe Bergin able to win his own ball at full-forward and he very nearly punished Sligo when he cut inside with goal intentions only to be disposed by a brilliant tackle from Harrison, who cleared the danger.

That didn't faze Kevin Walsh's team and they continued to use the wind to their advantage as a perfect pass from Stephen Gilmartin released Tony Taylor in front of goal for their fifth.

The gaps were only starting to open for Galway's guests, allowing Kealan Cawley to race up from wing-back and fist over and they should have had another but for Costello dropping his effort badly short.

It made little difference though as moments later David Kelly demonstrated just how lethal he is when the corner-forward collected a Breheny pass 30 metres from the posts, turned his marker and burned through his pace to bury a devastating goal from Galway's perspective.

A McGee free soon followed and the gap was at eight points, with a response from the hosts nowhere in sight.

Sligo were completely dominating around the centre and could even afford five wides in the opening 35 minutes as McGee's third accurate free of the afternoon closed the half at 1-8 to 0-2.

Surprisingly, Joe Kernan opted for no changes at half-time, while Sligo's only switch was position in bringing O'Hara back into their defence in a sweeper role.

Galway grabbed their first score since the ninth minute two minutes into the restart with Eoin Concannon looking to ignite them, but they were dealt a killer blow moments later when Sean Armstrong was issued a second yellow card for a high challenge on Sligo speedster Johnny Davey.

Kernan introduced Michael Meehan immediately afterwards and the gap was down to seven when Joyce swung over his second free from the right touch-line.

Kelly quickly cancelled that out down the other end, but through Joyce Galway were keeping themselves just within touching distance as a free was backed up by fantastic run which the veteran finished over with his weaker right boot.

The Tribesmen's best option was to aim for Joyce inside each time and when they didn't their chances fell wide, with four coming in succession before Meehan slipped the full-forward through for his fifth.

Concannon could have had another for Galway after being fed through down the right side but his effort was brilliantly blocked by O'Hara, with the resultant'45' from Meehan dropping short.

Sligo were in bad need of score to deflate their opponents, as they were beginning to rack up the wides themselves, with Cawley completely fluffing a chance straight in front of goal that would have certainly ended Galway's hopes.

The chances kept coming for Galway though and Gary Sice had the difference down to four with three minutes to go, but you couldn't see them pulling it off in the time remaining, particularly when Kelly stretched his tally to 1-3 as the game entered into the added minutes.

A Joyce point immediately followed, as Galway grafted and in the next attack a perfectly weighed pass from their ace veteran to Concannon saw him race onto the ball and blast to the back of the net.

Crucially, the home side grabbed the next kick-out and found Meehan inside and the substitute fell to the ground under a soft challenge from O'Hara, who was livid with the decision.

The 20-metre free was coolly converted by Gareth Bradshaw to save a replay for Galway, who will be counting their lucky stars.

Galway: A Faherty; K Fitzgerald, F Hanley, A Burke; G Bradshaw (0-1, 1f), D Blake, G O'Donnell; P Conroy, N Coleman; G Sice (0-1), S Armstrong, J Bergin (0-1); E Concannon (1-1), P Joyce (0-6, 3f), M Clancy. Subs: M Meehan for M Clancy (40), D Cummins for P Conroy (61)

Sligo: P Greene; C Harrison, N McGuire, R Donovan; K Cawley (0-1), B Philips, J Davey; T Taylor (0-1), S Gilmartin; M Breheny (0-1), A Costello (0-1), E O'Hara; C McGee (0-3), K Sweeney, D Kelly (1-3). Subs: E Mullen for K Sweeney (59).

Ref - D Coldrick (Meath). Tweet

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