Comer plays a captain's role as Galway secure final passage

Damien Comer, Galway

March 22 2015 11:58 PM

GALWAY set up a decider against Roscommon next month by holding Mayo at bay at MacHale Park on Saturday.

Led by captain Damien Comer, Galway dominated the first quarter, opening up a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after Comer (two), Michael Day and Gary Kelly raised white flags. Mayo's only reply was a Darren McHale point.

The crucial score of the half came in the 23rd minute when Comer got in behind the Mayo defence and crashed a shot to the net.

By this stage both sides had a player black-carded, Galway's Johnny Heaney and Mayo's Diarmuid O'Connor.

Galway finished the half the stronger to lead 1-6 to 0-5 in front at the interval and they added six more points in the third quarter, two each from Comer and Kelly.

Battling Mayo stayed in touch with two points each from Adam Gallagher and James Durcan.

However, in the final quarter, despite keeping Galway scoreless, they could only muster another two points, both from frees by Durcan. In the closing minutes, things got worse for Mayo when Patrick Durcan was red-carded

scorers - Galway: D Comer 1-5 (0-1f), G Kelly 0-3 (2fs), E Brannigan 0-2, M O'Dea, C Cunningham 0-1 each. Mayo: J Durcan 0-4 (4fs), A Gallagher, S Coen 0-2 each , C Loftus, D McHale, TJ Byrne 0-1 each .

galway - T O'Malley; E Kerins, J Wyndam, K Molloy, J Heaney; A Nolan, L Silke, M O'Dea; D. Corbett, E Tierney; D Comer, C Brady, M Daly; G. Kelly, E Brannigan. Subs: C Cunningham for Heaney (BC 20), E Finnerty for Daly (34), D Wall for Kelly (40), P Mannion for Comer (BC 50), J Donnellan for Brannigan (53).

mayo - M Flanagan; M Hall, D Kenny, J Stretton; P Durcan, S Coen , S Regan; D O'Connor, V Roughneen; M Ruane, A Gallagher, D McHale; K Lynch, C Loftus, J Durcan. Subs: M Plunkett for McHale (17), C Burke for Lynch (20), TJ Byrne for O'Connor (BC 23), E Lavin for Roughneen (45), B Reape for Plunkett (46, E Doran for Stretton (50).

ref - P Neilan (Roscommon)