Page 21 - INTO THE WEST - March-April 2018

Armstrong helps Galway to new heights
Galway .............0-16 SKildare .............0-10
By BILL KIELY Media West Ireland
gained control from the off.
Galway’s brilliant defence was resolute
and stingy once again, while Armstrong’s experience counted massively in front of the opposition goal.
EAn Armstrong kicked three points as Galway made it six wins from seven, and defeated Kildare in their national
Eanna O’Connor and Tommy Moolick brought Kildare level after their poor start, but Galway were in the ascendency again before half-time, and the pace of Eamon Brannigan and Sean Kelly caused consternation in the Kildare rearguard.
Football League division 1 tie at newbridge. Galway were narrow 0-18 to 0-16 winners
Kelly could have goaled in the 17th minute, but even though he hit wide on that occasion, his team still raced into a three- point half-time advantage.
when these sides met in the division 2 final the previous April, but they had contrasting fortunes since then.
Kildare had been reeling after their disastrous start to life back in division 1, and they were preparing for division 2 in the worst possible fashion.
Kildare have been relegated back the second tier at the first time of asking while coming into this game Galway had already secured their division 1 final berth.
They finished the day with 15 wides while Galway attacked with more inci- siveness, and they had 11 different scorers in a brilliant team display.
it has been a remarkable campaign for the Tribesmen and once they led by 0-8 to 0-5 at half-time they were always going to cruise to victory.
it was arguably the easiest game yet for Galway, and they kept another clean sheet, but up the other end Patrick Sweeney kicked the first two points of the game as they
SCORERS – Galway: Sean Armstrong 0-3 (1f), Sean Kelly 0-2, Padraic Cunningham 0-2, Patrick Sweeney 0-2, Johnny Duane 0-1, Frankie Burke, Adrian Varley 0-1, Shane Walsh 0-1 (1f), Michael Daly 0-1, Cian D'Arcy 0-1, Eoin Finnerty 0-1. Kildare: Eanna O'Connor 0-4(1f, 1'45), Johnny Byrne 0-1, Paul Cribbin 0-1, Daniel Courtney 0-1, Tommy Moolick 0-1, Jimmy Hyland 0-1, P Brophy 0-1.
GALWAY: R Lavelle; E Wynne, D Kyne, D Wynne; G O'Donnell, J Duane, G Brad- shaw; T Flynn, C Duggan; E Finnerty,
P Sweeney, S Kelly; E Branni-
gan, S Armstrong, P
Cunningham. Subs: S Walsh
for Kelly (h/t), F Burke for
Sweeney (46), C D'Arcy
for Armstrong (57), M
Daly for Finnerty (53), A
Varley for Cunningham
(67).
KILDARE: A O'Neill; P
Kelly, D Hyland, M Hyland; J
Byrne, E Doyle, K Flynn; P Cribbin, T Moolick; F Conway, E O'Connor, P Brophy; E Callaghan, J Hyland, K Cribbin. Subs: M Dempsey for M Hyland (HT), F Dowling for Conway (45), D Slattery for Callaghan (52), D Courtney for Byrne (55), R Ó'Giollain for J Hyland (68).
REFEREE: Conor Lane (Cork).
SAFE: Galway goalkeeper Ronan O’Beolain is held back by Dublin forward Paddy Andrews during their NFL clash at Pearse Stadium in Salthill.
Photo: Ray Ryan/SPORTSFILE
ALLIANZ NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DIVISION 1 ROUND 7
ACE: Experienced Galway forward Sean Armstrong led the way against Kildare in the NFL.
Photo: Ramsey Cardy / SPORTSFILE
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