Galway have booked their place in the All-Ireland final, defeating Donegal on a scoreline of 1-14 to 0-15 after an enthralling contest at Croke Park this afternoon.
It was very difficult to split these two sides ahead of the semi-final, with both having showed some brilliant form in recent weeks in order to reach the final four. Most GAA supporters expected a very tight clash and so proved to be the case.
The two sides went tit-for-tat throughout the game, with neither county managing to open up a significant lead over the course of the 70 minutes. This rather fortuitous goal from Paul Conroy turned out to be a key moment in the contest.
Galway have a goal and it's Paul Conroy whose shot appeared to be kicked short but managed to make its way all the way into the Donegal net
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📻 @rteradio1 pic.twitter.com/NnPeETnFbs— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 14, 2024
Donegal's lack of cutting edge in the final third in the closing stages of the game ultimately proved to be a killer blow, failing to score in the final ten or so minutes of the match.
In the end, Galway would run out as deserving winners.
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It Broke Lee Keegan's Heart To Hand Out Effusive Galway Praise
Galway have faced quite a bit of adversity in 2024, with their panel having been decimated by injury for much of the season. They received some criticism for their performances in the league, but the Connacht side have been steadily building momentum throughout the championship.
Padriac Joyce certainly deserves a huge amount of credit for how he has dealt with this group over the last number of seasons, something Lee Keegan was pained to admit this afternoon.
Speaking on RTÉ after the game, the former Mayo star said that Joyce deserves plenty of praise for his exploits with Galway, even if it hurts him to say so.
"What they have done is absolutely insane"
Lee Keegan's full of praise for the way Galway and manager Pádraic Joyce have carried themselves through the year on route to the All-Ireland SFC final
📲 Match report: https://t.co/uNkZ17VglX pic.twitter.com/0XWzjgBVn0— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 14, 2024
When you look at Galway, and we gave them flack at the start of the year, the job Padraic Joyce has done on that team.
[Shane] Walsh was quiet today, [Damien] Comer was quiet today, no Sean Kelly. What they've done is absolutely insane.
It breaks my heart as their neighbours, but what he has done with that group of players. They have a right steely bunch of guys that really want to do well for Galway.
That was evident there in the second half.
Galway and Armagh will now contest the All-Ireland final in two weeks, a game that is set to be an absolute cracker.
If the Tribesmen can replicate their performance in this game, they will have every chance of ending their 23-year Sam Maguire drought.
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