2022 experience standing to patient Galway

Experience is the teacher of all things. So said Julius Caesar, and as far as Galway football manager Padraic Joyce is concerned, the Tribesmen have built up a bank of championship knowledge to see them out of tricky spots.

Last year's All-Ireland finalists reached an eighth successive provincial final after accounting for a Roscommon side that threatened in the second-half to make it two big wins from two in Connacht.

The Rossies could only muster three frees in the opening 35 minutes, but were rejuvenated when Ciaráin Murtagh goaled in the 40th minute as his team hit 1-03 without reply.

They couldn’t press on however, Damien Comer proving the major thorn in their side as he finished with 1-04 from play to help the visitors to a four-point victory.

Having picked up wins over Mayo, Roscommon, Armagh (after extra-time) and Derry last year before running out of steam down the stretch in the All-Ireland decider against Kerry, Joyce believes the nous within the squad means their game management has moved to a different level.

"That’s the big thing for us, we didn’t panic, we didn’t get too excited when we were under the cosh," he told RTÉ Sport. "It was a matter of minding the ball and playing the way we play.

"That’s the pleasing part of the day for me. The players have gained the experience of last year from winning big games and it was great that that bit of experience showed on the pitch in the last 12, 15 minutes."

His counterpart Davy Burke must regroup the charges for the All-Ireland series, and after the high of turning over Mayo last time out, the young manager feels the energy from that may have been lacking, particularly in the opening half at Dr Hyde Park.

"We were very, very flat early on," he said. "The first half was