Regan's late goal sees Galway snatch victory

Regan’s late goal sees Galway snatch victory

Sun, 8th February 2015

GALWAY 1-22 DUBLIN 1-20

A 68th minute James Regan goal saw Galway perform a late snatch and grab to capture the Bord na Móna Walsh Cup at Croke Park on Saturday evening.

Dublin led 1-12 to 0-12 at the interval and they were nothing between the sides going down the home straight before a long delivery into the danger zone caused a bit of hesitancy in the Dubs defence which Regan capitalised on to beat goalkeeper Alan Nolan in the race to the sliotar and kick to the net.

In the opening half Dublin played some excellent hurling and executed some fine first time precision striking with Shane Stapleton and Mark Schutte enjoying great scores..

The freetaking of Paul Ryan was also top class and by the break Dublin were full value for their three-point lead with the goal coming in the 18th minute when Liam Rushe showed good awareness to lob the sliotar over the head of advancing keeper Colm Callanan.

.The Tribesmen struggled to score from play in the first half with freetaker Jason Flynn accounting for their scores and it was not until the 22nd minute when the influential Regan was on target that their first from play arrived.

Dublin's interval lead was reduced to just a single point on three occasions in the third quarter as the Dublin were left to rue a succession of second half wides.

Galway were much improved and Flynn's tenth converted free left them just 0-17 to 1-15 down with 20 minutes left.

It was there for either county late on but it was Regan's late goal that ultimately separated the sides.

SCORERS - Galway: J Flynn 0-11 (0-11f), J Regan 1-4, D Higgins 0-2, B Molloy, P Brehony, J Cooney, C Flynn, P Mannion 0-1 each.Dublin: P Ryan 0-8 (0-6f), L Rushe 1-0, S Stapleton, J Boland, M Schutte, D Sutcliffe 0-2 each, B Quinn, P Kelly, S Barrett, C Boland 0-1 each.

GALWAY: C Callanan; R Burke, F Moore, P Mannion; J Coen, D Collins, G McInerney; J Cooney, E Burke; D Higgins, J Glynn, P Brehony; J Regan, J Flynn, B Molloy. Subs: C Flynn for E Burke (32), I Tannian for Molloy (53), P Killeen for Higgins (64), G Kelly for Brehony (70).

DUBLIN: A Nolan; S Durkin, P Schutte, S Barrett; S Lambert, P Kelly, C Crummey; J Boland, B Quinn; C Keaney, S Stapleton, M Schutte; D O’Callaghan, L Rushe, P Ryan. Subs: E Dillon for O’Dwyer (ht), D Sutcliffe for Quinn (56), C Boland for Stapleton (57), D Plunkett for Boland (64).

REF: S Cleere (Kilkenny).