Roscommon v Galway - Connacht SFC Final 2017 [Wind Tunnel, 9/7/17]

[BallyroanAbu]

Not saying Galway would have won, but there was never much between these two.  The Mayo game for Galway is one of those that you take with a pinch of salt.  Galway are no bad team but with little between them and Roscommon the complacency factor was always going to come into play.

[Syferus]

What can you say but wow - that was a performance that slots straight into the best days in Roscommon footballing history. To win, to actually hammer Galway in Salthill, would scarcely have seemed possible a couple months ago.

All the talk in the county was of everyone who was missing, how McStay had judged it wrong demanding commitment from players and cutting a lot of experienced names before we even get to the ones who opted out for other reasons. Add in injuries to starters in Ultan Harney and Cathal Compton and further injuries to important players like Ciaran Caffereky, Fergal Lennon, Kevin Higgins and Thomas Corcoran and the panel looked threadbare heading into this one. Our starting line-up amounted to fielding an U23 team - even in this day and age it is a very young starting 15.

But that performance against Leitrim and the general mood radiating from the panel was showing it was far more settled than it was last year. The panel was lighter but it was tighter. That was the intention of McStay all along. Everyone who had any love for Roscommon should be thanking McStay tonight. He took a massive risk and took incredible abuse in the process but he has delivered a win and a title that won't be forgotten by any Roscomonn man, woman or child.

It's hard to pick out players on a day like this - everyone did their part and that was the magic of it. The tackling, the tracking back, the things that would always go missing at crucial moments in years past were all spot on today.

Enda Smith was a man apart today, he caught the sort of ball no player in the country would have a right to, and he is so magnificent running with the ball. He annouced himself to the country today. Diarmuid was as assured as ever up front. Connolly's goal was wonderful, as was his contribution winning ball and shooting. Devanney killed Galway off at the end with some fantastic scores. At the back John Mac, a lad who was on the receiving end of such abuse by his own supporters over the years, marked Flynn out of the game entirely and rooted out so many balls. Likewise Niall Kilroy was much maligned but he delivered everything we needed from a sweeper today. Comer was kept very quiet overall by Niall Mc. A special word for Brian Stack - pretty much a teenager and he played today like a veteran. The confidence and skill to take his goal will live long in the memory, but his all-round play was superb. Seanie has battled for 15 seasons and 165 caps before he finally, finally got a championship win over one of the big two. He is one of the greatest servants to Roscommon football in history and no one deserves this more than he did.

The bench too - Ian Kilbride (his first Connacht title at the age of 34) came on and steadied us, Donie came on when we lost our talisman in Diarmuid and didn't miss a beat, Kiloran came on and scored a beauty at the end too.

I honestly don't care what happens next. This year is already a great one for Roscommon. Jimmy, Dermot and Gerry will be smiling tonight.

[omagh_gael]

If Mayo and Galway both win next day out how does the QF draw work? I'm assuming that would leave it as Kerry v Galway and Roscommon v Mayo?

[skeog]

Time to end the farce beat Leitrim your in the last 12,beat Galway last 8.

[Tubberman]

Will Gay Sheerin be making a public apology to McStay?
I tipped Ros - they were keeping very quiet, even Liam McHale kept his mouth shut!
Thought they'd have to be at their very best, but Galway were so complacent that they didn't need to be.
Hopefully Galway beat Donegal and see up a Mayo v Ros q-final ;-)

[Syferus]

Will Gay Sheerin be making a public apology to McStay?
I tipped Ros - they were keeping very quiet, even Liam McHale kept his mouth shut!
Thought they'd have to be at their very best, but Galway were so complacent that they didn't need to be.
Hopefully Galway beat Donegal and see up a Mayo v Ros q-final ;-)

We were all giving him dirty looks on the pitch after the match. He didn't look too comfortable alright.

[Itchy]

Well done Roscommmon, a dominant display. I thought when Galway picked things up after half time a collapse was enevitable (probably too used to watching bloody cavan) but fair play they stood up and closed the game out with some top scores.

[Syferus]

Diarmuid Murtagh ankle ligaments at a minimum I reckon. Will do well to make the 1/4s.

Lads on SS were talking to him after the match and he said there was no significant damage and he should be fine for the AIQF. Just makes a great day a little better to know he's ok, he's obviously a big player for us.

[Ryano]

I wouldn't even say we underestimated Roscommon.....

No, I think you hit the nail on the head there. I'm a Rossie living in Galway and everybody from work colleagues down to the local (and national) media where signing Galways praises. It was just a matter of turning up and collecting their cup. The winning score line was going to be a cricket score. Confidence is all good and well but there was no humitily or even the usual GAA attempt at talking up the opposition, Ala Jim Gavin and Carlow/Westmeath for example. It was just smug condescending arrogance by and large from Galway and they got their answer today. Read the Tuam Hearld's piece for example....

That HAD to feed down to the players and it showed in their attitude today. That's not to take away from Roscommon's efforts, they were immence and fully deserving of their win. But Galway could have been, and are, a lot better than today's efforts.

[INDIANA]

I wouldn't even say we underestimated Roscommon.....

No, I think you hit the nail on the head there. I'm a Rossie living in Galway and everybody from work colleagues down to the local (and national) media where signing Galways praises. It was just a matter of turning up and collecting their cup. The winning score line was going to be a cricket score. Confidence is all good and well but there was no humitily or even the usual GAA attempt at talking up the opposition, Ala Jim Gavin and Carlow/Westmeath for example. It was just smug condescending arrogance by and large from Galway and they got their answer today. Read the Tuam Hearld's piece for example....

That HAD to feed down to the players and it showed in their attitude today. That's not to take away from Roscommon's efforts, they were immence and fully deserving of their win. But Galway could have been, and are, a lot better than today's efforts.

Galway are the most over-rated team in the country.

What have they achieved to date?

Very very little when you examine the evidence. Galway have achieved absolutely nothing in the last decade to consider themselves a foregone conclusion against anything other then a Div 3/4 side.

Still living off the back of Padraig Joyce, Donnellan , Mannion and the great players they once had

[Avondhu star]

Delighted for the Rossies but any of the usual gang that I know travelled in hope rather than confidence. They are in Croke Park now and should go up united. Sheerin and co should accept that McStay has delivered a Connacht title, football in August and a great boost to the county

[Syferus]

Delighted for the Rossies but any of the usual gang that I know travelled in hope rather than confidence. They are in Croke Park now and should go up united. Sheerin and co should accept that McStay has delivered a Connacht title, football in August and a great boost to the county

July 29th tends not to be in August..

[From the Bunker]

I wouldn't even say we underestimated Roscommon.....

No, I think you hit the nail on the head there. I'm a Rossie living in Galway and everybody from work colleagues down to the local (and national) media where signing Galways praises. It was just a matter of turning up and collecting their cup. The winning score line was going to be a cricket score. Confidence is all good and well but there was no humitily or even the usual GAA attempt at talking up the opposition, Ala Jim Gavin and Carlow/Westmeath for example. It was just smug condescending arrogance by and large from Galway and they got their answer today. Read the Tuam Hearld's piece for example....

That HAD to feed down to the players and it showed in their attitude today. That's not to take away from Roscommon's efforts, they were immence and fully deserving of their win. But Galway could have been, and are, a lot better than today's efforts.

Galway are the most over-rated team in the country.

What have they achieved to date?

Very very little when you examine the evidence. Galway have achieved absolutely nothing in the last decade to consider themselves a foregone conclusion against anything other then a Div 3/4 side.

Still living off the back of Padraig Joyce, Donnellan , Mannion and the great players they once had

That's a bit harsh! Galway have been looking to get back to some level of competitiveness for the last 10 years. Once you fall out of the loop it's hard to get back in again. You say what have they achieved. Well they have beaten a still decent Mayo team in Championship the last two years. They have got into Division One and they have won a Connacht title. They are not the real deal. But they have made progress and have put themselves to be in the position to make progress. I know this may be hard for a person from Dublin to appreciate with all the advantages that go with the Dublin County and Club scene.

[An Fhairche Abu]

Congrats to Roscommon, powerful performance and worth every single one of their 9 points margin, beaten out the gate on our own patch, it doesn't get much worse than that.
I would have to watch the full match back again but while I'm not at all shocked that Roscommon won, their whole year was built on being right for today and they are certainly that, it was terrible from Galway, a far, FAR worse result and performance than the Tipp game last year. f**k knows where they go from here, the realistic goal for the year is gone.
The scenes at the end were very distasteful and although I didn't see it start you'd have to assume that the full blame is with Galway, not much good at that stage to be throwing themselves about the place.

[Syferus]

Congrats to Roscommon, powerful performance and worth every single one of their 9 points margin, beaten out the gate on our own patch, it doesn't get much worse than that.
I would have to watch the full match back again but while I'm not at all shocked that Roscommon won, their whole year was built on being right for today and they are certainly that, it was terrible from Galway, a far, FAR worse result and performance than the Tipp game last year. f**k knows where they go from here, the realistic goal for the year is gone.
The scenes at the end were very distasteful and although I didn't see it start you'd have to assume that the full blame is with Galway, not much good at that stage to be throwing themselves about the place.

It was a pity alright. We took our beating last year without getting into a brawl at the end - Comer was swinging fists mad and is very lucky not to have got a straight red.

That said, Galway supporters after the match were very magnanimous and congratulatory in defeat so all wasn't lost. Would be nice to see all three Connacht teams in the AIQFs.