An enthralling encounter at McHale Park today saw Galway pip Mayo by one point in their Connacht Football GAA Championship clash earlier today.
The score finished 1-14 to 0-16 to the visitors, as they survived a late onslaught from James Horan's side after they had been down by six points late in the game.
Speaking on RTÉ after the match, Pat Spillane praised a Galway side which he thought showed a ruthlessness that they did possess last season.
Look you always have to credit Mayo they never give up and their warrior like spirit that we’ve seen epitomised by them down through the years, it was there in the last few minutes, five points down, game over, but they kept plugging away.
At the start I talked about a flaky Galway team. This time last year, Connacht final, five points up at half-time and they were hammered 2-8 to three points in the second half. No ruthlessness, mentally frail. But this year in the second half this was a different Galway animal and their attacking play was unbelievable.
Pace, athleticism, good composure on the ball, and they never panicked. This was a team that believed they could win.
Cora Staunton was alongside Spillane in the punditry box, and she awarded the man of the match to Galway’s Damien Comer.
However, she made the point that of the award could been given to a group of players it would have been awarded to Galway’s defensive unit as a whole.
The only goal of the game came from Galway’s Johnny Heaney after just seven minutes of play, and the sides would go into half-time level before Galway began to pull ahead.
Johnny Heaney with the goal for Galway against Mayo
Highlights on #sundaygame at 9.30pm #RTEGAA
⌨️ https://t.co/BATVYoshOd
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📻 https://t.co/2SRRKdgjzu pic.twitter.com/PnUgHHfjaF— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 24, 2022
However, Mayo summoned a remarkable comeback in the dying minutes and even kicked a wide just before full-time to send them level.
Joyous scenes on the Galway sideline at the final whistle as they cling on to beat Mayo by a point in Castlebar @RTE2 @RTEplayer #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/6xLmbsH13Z
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 24, 2022
The win means Galway will face Leitrim in the semi-final of the Connacht championship, while Mayo will have to take the back door route to the All-Ireland series.
Spillane also noted that potential banana skins await Mayo in the qualifiers before very possible meetings with Kerry or Dublin. On top of that he stated rather ruthlessly that “Mayo don’t have a forward line that can win an All-Ireland.”
'Mayo don't have a forward line that can win an All-Ireland'
Pat Spillane thinks it won't be Mayo's year - watch full highlights later on The Sunday Game from 9.30pm @RTE2 @RTEplayer #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/3sjrPXn0TG— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 24, 2022
They talk about Einstein's theory of insanity of doing the same thing over and over again and hoping it might be different. Down through the years, the reason Mayo will never win an All-Ireland is because they don't have the forward power.
They score one point in twenty-something minutes, they kicked 11 wides. In the second half, they converted seven of their 17 chances.
Mayo are great warriors and great players, but they never had and don't have the forward line that can win an All-Ireland.
We’ll wait and see if Spillane is proved right as we prepare up for what is shaping up to be an incredible summer of GAA.
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