[ad_1]
Second-half goals from Sean Bugler and Con O’Callaghan closed out Irish champions Dublin’s 2-15-0-15 win against a Galway side at Pearse Stadium.
Galway, having opted to play in the strong wind, led 0-09 to 0-07 at halftime, with Paul Conroy leading the way for the Tribesmen with six points, four of them from free practice.
Dublin held possession for long stretches in the breeze and worked the ball into a full attack line that scored all but one point from his first total time.
Paul Conroy surrendered Galway’s three points in the first quarter, the first from free and then two excellent points from away from the game.
Dean Rock responded to Conroy’s opening two points with a free and one from the game before Ciaran Kilkenny tied the sides for the third time after 16 minutes on a good pass.
Galway opened a two-point lead for the first time after 19 minutes thanks to the efforts of Adrian Varley and Rob Finnerty.
And while Paddy Small cut the deficit with an excellent score from the right, Galway led with a goal with more points from Finnerty and Conroy.
Dublin did not panic. Paddy Small got another good point and Con O’Callaghan and Rock hit to level the game.
But Galway led 0-09 to 0-07 in the interval when Conroy hit two more free hits.
The introduction of captain Shane Walsh and experienced Gary Sice at half-time helped them extend the lead from 0-12 to 0-08 after 46 minutes.
But then Paddy Small and Rock scored points before backup Sean Bugler burst into the net after being set up by Cormac Costello and Bugler quickly added a point to lead 1-11 to 0-12 in the fourth quarter.
The impressive Paddy Small, who finished 0-04, scored his second point from a mark to extend the lead to one goal before Jason Leonard closed the gap to two with seven minutes to go.
Galway never gave up but didn’t seem to get the goal they needed and it was the Irish champions who shook the net in the final stages when O’Callaghan finished off a rebound to the net after an initial punching effort returned from a vertical. .
The rebound works to Con O’Callaghan’s advantage when he finds the back of the net to @DubGAAOfficial! pic.twitter.com/QHCsAqQgTW
– The GAA (ficialofficialgaa) October 25, 2020
Dublin: Stephen Cluxton; Cian Murphy, David Byrne, Michael Fitzsimons; Eoin Murchan, John Small, Robert McDaid; Brian Fenton, James McCarthy; Brian Howard, Eric Lowndes, Ciarán Kilkenny (0-02); Paddy Small (0-04, 0-02m), With O’Callaghan (1-02, 0-01m), Dean Rock (0-06, 0-04f).
Subs used: Seán Bugler (1-01) for Downes (ht), Cormac Costello for McCarthy (46), Tom Lahiff for Howard (63), Kevin McManamon for P Small (68), Philly McMahon for Murphy (70).
Galway: Bernard Power; Sean Mulkerrin, Sean Kelly, James Foley; Liam Silke (0-01), Gary O’Donnell (0-01), Johnny Heaney; Cein D’Arcy, Tom Flynn; Paul Kelly, Paul Conroy (0-08, 0-06f), Jason Leonard (0-01); Robert Finnerty (0-02, 0-01f), Adrian Varley (0-01, 0-01m), Ian Burke.
Subs used: Matthias Barrett for Flynn (31 minutes), Shane Walsh (0-01) for Burke (ht), Gary Sice for Finnerty (ht), Cillian McDaid for O’Donnell (53), Gareth Bradshaw for P Kelly (59 ).
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).
[ad_2]