Re-energised Galway U20s beat Sligo, Leitrim stun Mayo

Galway 2-16

Sligo 2-12

Leitrim's win over Mayo might feel like the story of the night in the Connacht U-20 football championship, but the large band of supporters that made their way to Tuam Stadium for the meeting of Galway and Sligo were also treated to a memorable evening’s football, with scintillating attacking play and a real championship edge.

Galway had any number of attacking weapons, with all six starting forwards scoring from play over the course of the hour, but Sligo had more than enough possession and goal chances to pick up a win and deal a deadly blow to the Tribesmen’s chances in what is a wide open provincial campaign.

In the end however, three attempts onto the crossbar, one goal effort from 12 metres out dragged wide and another blasted over the bar meant that the reigning provincial champions are now bottom of the round robin table, while Galway’s campaign has been re-energised after their anaemic showing against Mayo a week ago.

There was nothing anaemic about tonight’s game, at any stage. It made for fantastic viewing, with both sides throwing themselves into physical challenges – facilitated by an inobtrusive refereeing performance from John Glavey – and some incredible quality up front.

Points from Conor Flynn, Conor Walsh and Ross Doherty, as well as a 45 from Eli Rooney, had the visitors into an early 0-04 to 0-02 lead, but Matthew Thompson was a constant threat for the home side and he kicked two marks to level the game, part of a five-point first half haul for the Salthill-Knocknacarra player.

A clever controlled break of a high ball into the path of Walsh allowed the Sligo wing forward to rattle the top corner of the net for the game’s first goal in the 16th minute, but Galway’s response to that