Shane Walsh on fire as Galway too good for Donegal in Salthill

Seven two pointers for Galway in the opening half decided this Allianz League Division 1 game at windswept Pearse Stadium in Salthill, Galway.

Shane Walsh gave an exhibition of kicking on the day and Galway always seemed to be much more up for the game against a Donegal team that were without some of their first choice players.

The absence of the likes of Patrick McBrearty, Ryan McHugh, Michael Murphy and Michael Langan was felt in the second half when Donegal had the strong wind at their backs and needing scores to bridge a 16 point half-time deficit.

The margin of seven points at the end was the closest that Donegal came thanks to three late one pointers. The ability of Galway to tag on the two  pointers in the opening half when the gale force wind was at its strongest was impressive

Donegal remain on six points in the league but Jim McGuinness won’t be too concerned by this setback, as he got a good look at some of his panel members.

Galway finished with 13 men after getting two black cards at different times in the second half. Daniel O’Flaherty got 10 minutes on the bench 12 minutes into the new half while Finian O Laoi missed the last eight minutes of the contest after stopping a Donegal attack from breaking from defence.

GALE FORCE WIND

Galway took full advantage of the gale force wind in the opening half with Shane Walsh, in particular, to the fore. Walsh put Galway on their way with the first two pointer on two minutes,

Four more two pointers followed with Matthew Tierney, Conor Flaherty, Shane Walsh and  Rob Finnerty (f) for a 10 point advantage on 17 minutes.

Donegal had little of the ball  as Daniel O’Flaherty and Rob Finnerty got the first normal value points for the Galwegians to put them 0-12 to 0-0 ahead on 22 minutes.

Oisin Gallen thought he had Donegal’s opening point but his effort somehow met a gale and dropped into the keeper Conor Flaherty’s hands.

Jamie Brennan also made a good run but his fisted effort for a point also caught the wind and Shane O’Donnell kept it in place to create a half goal chance but the Galway defence cleared.

Shane Walsh then hit two more two pointers (one free) and Liam Silke added a minor on 27 minutes to stretch the lead to 0-17 to 0-0.

Shaun Patton denied Cein Hernon with a brilliant save and with five minutes on the first half clock Conor O’Donnell got Donegal’s only point of the half from a free after Oisin Gallen was fouled. Gallen was going to take the free but from his wrong side and it was a good decision to leave it to the left footed O’Donnell.

There was a moment of controversy in the final seconds when Matthew Tierney was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Hugh McFadden in the middle of the field, a decision that brought chants of derision from the Galway supporters.

Half-time: Donegal 0-1, Galway 0-17.

Dáire Ó Baoill opened the second half with a two pointer  and there was a wave of optimism for Donegal but it quickly disappeared as it became evident that Donegal didn’t have a Shane Walsh and they weren’t putting cohesive moves together.

The aforementioned Walsh underlined his ability by replying with a brilliant score against the wind.

Conor O’Donnell had another minor for Donegal while Eoghan Ban Gallagher was denied with a goal chance before Ó Baoill hit another two pointer.

Shane Walsh hit a wonderful free on 50 minutes to leave his side still 13 points to the good before Ciaran Thompson, Oisin Gallen and Dáire Ó Baoill hit three in-a-row and Peadar Mogan with a two pointer cut the lead to eight with nine minutes left.

But then Walsh hit another brilliant free and the impressive John Maher added another despite being fouled. Galway captain Sean Kelly was another who looked the part for Galway, especially in the second half against the wind, carrying the ball forward time after time.

Donegal did finish well with points from Shane O’Donnell, another from Dáire Ó Baoill and a driving effort from Ciaran Thompson but they were never able to bridge the gap.

Donegal remain in second place in the Allianz League Division 1 table on six points. They are a point behind new leaders Galway and just ahead of Dublin on score difference.

They can look forward to two home games in succession, against Derry next Sunday in Fr Tierney Park, Ballyshannon and two weeks later, at home to Tyrone in O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny.

FOOTNOTE: The playing conditions were disastrous and it was not a very comfortable day for the spectators and they were not helped by the match programme which had a completely different Donegal team to that which took the field. This was the second time in four games that this has happened and it wasn’t good enough.

Galway scorers: Shane Walsh 0-11,3tp,1tpf,2f; Robert Finnerty 0-3,1tpf; Conor Flaherty 0-2,tp; Matthew Tierney 0-2,tp; Daniel O’Flaherty, Liam Silke, John Maher 0-1 each.

Donegal scorers: Dáire Ó Baoill 0-6,2tp; Ciaran Thompson, Peadar Mogan (tp), Conor O’Donnell (1f) 0-2 each; Oisin Gallen, Shane O’Donnell 0-1 each.

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan; Eoin McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Ciaran Moore; Hugh McFadden, Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride; Odhran Doherty, Dáire Ó Baoill, Jamie Brennan; Shane O’Donnell, Oisin Gallen, Conor O’Donnell.

Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Ciaran Thompson, Niall O’Donnell for O Doherty, Mac Giolla Bhride and E McHugh (all ht); Charles McGuinness and Jeaic Mac Ceallabhui for Brennan and McFadden (57)

Galway:  Conor Flaherty; Johnny McGrath, Sean Kelly, Daniel O’Flaherty; Dylan McHugh, Sean Fitzgerald, Liam Silke; Cein Hernon, John Maher; Cathal Sweeney, Sam O’Neill, Cein Darcy; Robert Finnerty, Matthew Tierney, Shane Walsh.

Subs: Connor Gleeson for Flaherty (ht); Finian O Laoi for O’Neill (43);  Jack Glynn for Fitzgerald; Sean Mulkerrin for Hernon; Matthew Thompson for Finnerty

Referee: David Coldrick (Meath)