Galway claimed a gritty victory over
Laois in Allianz NFL Division One at Pearse
Stadium. Michael Meehan led the Tribesmen's scoring
with 0-08 and three late points from Meehan, Gary
Sice and Darren Mullahy copper-fastened the home win
after the sides had been level seven times. Meehan
had Galway ahead before MJ Tierney levelled the tie
at 0-07 to 1-04 before half-time. Brendan Quigley
had goaled early on for Laois. Points from Tierney
and Colm Parkinson got Laois level but Liam Sammon's
side came with a late surge. Sammon's first league
game in charge saw the hosts rely heavily on Caltra
clubman Meehan's accuracy from placed balls. The
sides were level on four occasions during the first
half, but it was Galway who made the most of the
early running and led by 0-02 to 0-00 after five
minutes, with Meehan on target with two pointed
frees. However, Laois responded well with excellent
work from centre-forward Tierney, who was extremely
accurate from placed balls, while Quigley's goal
gave the visitors a 1-03 to 0-03 lead midway through
the half. Good work from Meehan, Mark Lydon and Sean
Armstrong saw Galway regain the lead with five
minutes remaining before the interval. Laois had to
work extremely hard for an equaliser but it
eventually came. Tierney converted his second free
to ensure parity at the break. Very little could
separate the sides in the opening stages of the
second half and the sides were level on two
occasions before Galway broke into a 0-12 to 1-6
lead with Joe Bergin, who slammed over a point on
the run, Meehan and first half substitute Cormac
Bane all on target. Laois bounced back with good
scores from Tierney and a sublime point from the
left boot of Parkinson to level the contest once
again. Liam Kearns' side worked well defensively and
Cathal Ryan and new captain Darren Rooney emerged
from the rear to set up some good Laois attacks. But
for a while it looked like neither side could take a
stranglehold on proceedings with poor wides at both
ends of the field. The visitors kicked two wides in
as many minutes before they were dealt a blow with
an injury to Peter O'Leary, with David Murphy
replacing him for the final five minutes. Galway
upped the temp and Meehan landed his eighth point of
the game, and his sixth from a free. Late points from
Sice and man-of-the-match and debutant Mullahy pull
the seal on a hard-fought success for last season's
beaten semi-finalists.
Michael Meehan wins this race for possession
against Rory Stapleton of Laois in Pearse Stadium |
