Galway dished out revenge with a convincing Allianz Football League Division 1 win over All-Ireland champions Armagh after a superb second-half display.
The game was turned with three two-point scores in a four-minute period which transformed Galway's lead from one point to seven points and Armagh’s chances of coming back was hampered when Niall Grimley was sent off on the hour.
Before the game, the crowd were entertained with music and fireworks as the new €8m floodlights were officially lit at Pearse Stadium.
It is only six months since the last time the teams clashed against each other, with Armagh clinching the Sam Maguire Cup, and this contest also saw the new rule enhancements introduced.
Throw-in, which took place between Storm Eowyn and Storm Herminia, was delayed by 15 minutes. Armagh made late changes to the starting team with Jason Duffy replacing Tiernan Kelly and Shane McPartlan coming in for Crossmaglen’s Cian McConville.
Armagh dominated the opening quarter to race into a 0-05 to 0-01 lead before Galway wrestled back momentum to take the lead at the break, 1-04 to 0-05.
Matthew Tierney’s converted penalty on 33 minutes gave the Tribesmen the lead in game that perhaps didn’t hit the dizzy heights but did offer enough to entertain the crowd.
Both Armagh and Galway got caught out and penalised on the 3 v 3 rule and the solo and go sparked a few frantic attacks.
Kieran McGeeney’s men started brightly, with quick kicking from keeper Blaine Hughes and some quality passing from Rory Grugan and clinical finishing from Oisin Conaty.
Conaty opened the scoring with a fisted point, Grugan added another before Daniel O’Flaherty opened Galway’s account on 11 minutes. Conaty replied with a brace of points, including a fantastic score after Grugan’s cross-field pass.
Grugan’s free extended Armagh’s lead to four and it seemed they were content in allowing Padraig Joyce’s men to retain possession outside the 40-metre zone, as long as last years’ Player of the Year Paul Conroy didn’t get a shot away.
But the tide turned on 27 minutes when Cillian O Curraoin tapped over his first of three opening half frees. O’Curraoin was then fouled in the square, with Armagh captain Aidan Forker picking up a yellow card and Tierney converted his spot kick to his bottom right or the net to take the lead.
O Curraoin then stretched Galway’s lead to two points with his third three and he could have made it three points after the half-time hooter was sounded but he kicked wide.
Tierney and Armagh substitute Conor Turbitt traded frees before Conaty closed the gap to a single point but that was as good as it got for the Orchardmen because after being held scoreless for 17 minutes in the first half it was 24 minutes before their next score in the second period.
In that time Galway picked off three two-pointers from Cillian O’ Curraoin, substitute Shane Walshe and that man Conroy and Finnian O Laoi tagged on another to give Galway an eight-point lead with under ten minutes to go.
Armagh went down to 14 men after Grimley’s red card and even with Ethan Rafferty and Jarly Og Burns coming off the bench there was no way back for Kieran McGeeney’s men. Galway’s defence stood strong with Cathal Sweeney coming back to help out and they kept the Orchard at arm's length.
Grugan ended Armagh’s scoring drought with a free and Armagh thought they had a shout at a penalty when Andrew Murnin was fouled in the square but referee Conor Lane awarded a 13-metre free, which Grugan converted.
Galway were worthy winners and the margin isn’t at all flattering, they used the second half wind wisely and the substitutes all added to their cause. Armagh were not at the pace they needed to be for three quarters of the game and no doubt that will be addressed before Tyrone come to the Cathedral City at the weekend.
KEY: tp - two-point score; tpf - two-point free; tpm - two-point mark
Galway: C Gleeson, J McGrath, S Fitzgerlad, D O’Flaherty (0-01), D McHugh, J Daly, S Kelly, P Conroy (0-02, 1tp), C McDaid, C Sweeney, F O Laoi (0-01), C Darcy, C O’ Curraoin (0-05, 3f, 1tp), M Tierney (1-01 1-00 pen, 1f ) S O’Neill.
Subs: Shane Walshe (0-02, 1tpf) for McDaid (41), John Maher for M Tierney (45), J Heaney for S O’Neill (53), Kieran Molloy for S Kelly (62), Johnny Heaney for O Laoi (66).
Armagh: B Hughes, T McCormack, B McCambridge, A Forker, C Mackin, J Duffy, G McCabe, B Crealey, N Grimley, O Conaty (0-04), R Grugan (0-04, 3f), D McMullen, S McPartlan, A Murnin, Campbell.
Subs: Conor Turbitt (0-01, 1f) for McParltan (h-t), Ross McQuillan for Forker (37), Cian McConville for J Duffy (48), Jarly Og Burns for T McCormack (59), Ethan Rafferty for Hughes (59).
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).
